How do we get there from here?

Be Still Sundays

2008-10-12T07:30:00.001-04:00

This is pre-posted. I pray that you've had a wonderful day in the Lord. Take some time to be still this week and hear His quiet, consistent, loving voice.

TO THE TUNE OF TEA TUESDAYS #30

2008-10-07T10:40:00.004-04:00

Though I don't have regular access to a computer right now, I'm glad that the Lord allowed me a chance to make it to the library on...TUESDAY!! It's my day to do my tea post! Yea!! I like all of the days I'm allowed to post, but today just happens to be a day that I can think of something I've already done or studied or can easily talk about and welcome you to try what we discuss for yourself. When its tea day, I can type out familiar or fun things pretty quickly, and don't have to spend a lot of time studying and rushing to get it done at the library because someone may be waiting in line to use the computer. Whew!!!

Well anyway, I want to invite you to have a tea bath. It involves 4 steps total, but you can do all or 1 or however many you want to try. This is pretty easy and it's pretty relaxing.

First you'll want to save your green tea leaves that you had in your cup this morning or the night before, and place them in cheesecloth (this will keep the leaves from clogging your drain or sticking to the sides of the tub), or, you can use fresh green tea leaves. For added scent and if you can get hold of some, add rose petals. I like to do this AND add powdered milk for a "green tea milk bath." You can go one "worth it" step farther and place all of these ingredients in a bowl and add essential oil or fragrance oils of your choice. Place the cheesecloth or bag in the tub while your hottest water is running (as hot as you can stand it so that everything can "steep"), wait about 5 minutes, mix your water around (your bath may be tinged a pretty emerald green--none of this will hurt you unless you're allergic to one of the ingredients), step in, lay back, and relax!

We're not finished! I forgot to mention that you need to have made yourself a warm, refreshing, inviting cup of your favorite tea first. Take it into the bath with you. Make sure to have it in a pretty cup. That just enhances the whole experience.

I would have already taken my real bath first, so as to remove all the oils and dirt from my skin, so that by the time I'm ready for my tea bath, it's just a pleasurable soaking experience. You just soak as long as you like and then rinse your body with warm water when you're done. Pat your body dry, then, and here comes the next or third step, rub and/or sprinkle luxurious green tea products on your body to keep it moist and supple. There are many products out there to choose from. I can't recommend one. I'm not sure if what these products really tout as benefits work, but again, it will enhance your whole tea bath experience, so why not?!!

Oh yeah!! Did I mention that you should find some great soy (in light green color, of course) or green tea candles to place around your precious bath? Well, it'll be worth finding some. This will definitely set the mood. There are many many choices for green tea candles like there are green tea bath products out there too. As a sweet thing to do for your daughter or husband, draw them a green tea bath (hubby might not care about the scent or the rose petals). They'll love it and the effort you put into it. Even my boys, when they were young, enjoyed just plain old milk baths. Maybe I'll do another post one day with green tea bath and milk bath recipes so that you can have many alternatives to choose from.

I wish I could do pictures for this post, but again, I'm at the library, and I can't save and post them to my blog. Oh well, just use your imagination and then let it take you to a warm, relaxing bath.

Have a great green tea day today!!

I KNOW YOU'RE WONDERING WHERE I'VE BEEN!

2008-10-07T10:08:00.003-04:00

To all of my precious readers, new and old, I would like to explain to you where I've been and encourage you to keep checking in with me.

My home computer is no longer running, so I've done everything from go to a precious friend's house to blog and look at other things I need, to go to the library, which is where I am now. I will have my computer running again, hopefully in a couple of weeks, or I will be trying to make more visits to our local library. No, going to the library a few more times than I usually do a week isn't convenient, but it's better than not having access at all. I'm also looking into getting a laptop, but only God knows whether we'll be able to afford that or not. We'll see.

Please be patient with me. If you don't hear from me for a few days at a time, I am still out there, just not able perhaps, to make it to some place with computer and/or internet access. The funny thing is, not many days after I went to a friend's house to do my last post, her computer went out too. With her, she believes that she had previously gotten a virus or bug on her computer and neglected to take care of it until it fried her hard drive. So now, I can't even go to her house which was not 5 minutes from mine. Oh well...:)

How Do We Get There From Here? is still a viable, up and running blog so, don't take me off of your "visit list" or put me out of your mind if you enjoy visiting here. I'm glad you find my blog interesting enough to stop by. I always say that I am surprised but so humbled by that. There are so many great blogs out there. Thanks for being so loyal (or just plain curious about me) up to this point. Hopefully the Lord will allow me to continue.

You'll be hearing from me soon. Have a wonderful day today!!

TO THE TUNE OF TEA TUESDAYS #29

2008-09-30T07:31:00.001-04:00

Tea lovers and ones that should be, let's talk about one of my favorite kinds of tea this week...MATCHA!! I love it!! Now I know I say that about all of my favorite teas, and yes, there are many, but matcha is so versatile. It enhances vanilla ice cream's flavor (and obviously changes its color to a beautiful mint or emerald green), it tastes great cold or hot, it tastes great lightly sprinkled on cold fruit, oh the possibilities are almost endless! At the end of this post, I'll give you a website to go to where you can order some of the best matcha (although there are many companies out there that probably sell a great product) and get great recipes for it. Google matcha recipes too. You'll find many great ideas that sound so delicious.

So, you want me to explain matcha a little more? Sure. I hope I give you reasons to try it. "Matcha, or powdered green tea, has a wonderful aroma, silky froth, and rich, mellow taste. High quality Matcha such as ours (the company Hibiki-An, where I get most of my Japanese green tea), is not bitter but smooth and mellow. As one moves up the scale toward the top grade of Matcha, the color becomes a more vivid green and the flavor becomes even more noble, smooth and mellow.Matcha is made from new tea leaves that have been carefully grown under diffused sunlight for 20 to 30 days before they are harvested, steamed and dried. Much Theanine, which is the source of its sweet mellow taste and noble aroma, is created in tea leaves by diffused sunlight. The dried leaves are then ground with a traditional stone mortar and pestle, called a Hikiusu.Unlike tea leaves, where one drinks an infusion made from the leaves, Matcha is consumed in its entirety, so you can directly ingest the whole beneficial constituents of Matcha."

I've mentioned this website before, but I will give you the link again here (I don't get any free tea, incentives, or anything for mentioning these people. I just love them and their tea is some of the best. I like to recommend quality products when I come across them. Their prices are reasonable too.). Go to http://www.hibiki-an.com/. Click on "matcha" in the list of tabs on the left side of the screen. Also click on "recipes" to find many delicious recipes for not only matcha, but other kinds of tea also. Tea isn't just great alone in the cup. It goes pretty far. You can get really creative.

If you've had matcha before, tell me how you like it and what other ways you've tried it, if any, besides just smooth and frothy from the cup. If you have never tried it, comment and tell me if you think you'd like to and in what way. I think that matcha is a neat way to start trying green tea, especially if you're one who has tried it from the bag or loose leaf and have decided that you really don't care much for it. Its powder form will allow you to make it as strong or mild as you'd like, it has a rich flavor, you can add milk and cinnamon and/or vanilla or whatever you'd like to make it appealing. Like I said before, the possibilities are almost endless.

Have a great rest of the week. Delight in your tea breaks or start having one!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2008-09-29T19:08:00.006-04:00

Sorry this is up so late, wonderful readers. I've been really busy and not able to get on the internet. There is no Mommy Mondays post today, unfortunately. Hopefully, next week. But for now, join me as I let you in on my late Monday evening, in my Day Book. You can peek in on others at Peggy's place (http://www.thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/). Peggy created this precious meme. You can even do your own Day book. Join in.

For Today...September 29, 2008

Outside my Window...I'm at a friend's house doing my daybook, so I see a comfy swing on the porch calling my name (we don't have one at home). It's on a balcony, on a hill, and it looks so peaceful out, even though it's starting to get dark.

I am thinking...that I am glad to be here with my friend and her children. I'm at home when I'm here. We talk, eat, relax, and the reason I'm on the computer at her house is (and no, I'm not being rude and ignoring them while I do this) because mine is not working at home. Everybody here is watching TV right now, giving me time to work on this and other things I needed to do on my computer, but couldn't.

From the learning rooms...earlier today, our learning rooms were mobile, as we had things to do throughout the house today, so we kind of moved around. Thank God we're at home and can be mobile as needed.

I am thankful for...friends who have computers when mine isn't working (lol), Friends who love me enough to let me come to their house any time, Friends who are gracious, and loving, and kind.

From the kitchen...my friend made spaghetti and meatballs for her family and invited me to eat. If I hadn't been full from what I had already made and eaten from my kitchen (seasoned pinto beans in the crock pot spooned over a bed of rice with seasoned green beans on the side), I would have gladly joined them.

I am wearing...navy blue capris, white, leather tennis shoes, and a white t-shirt with my husband's name on it.

I am reading...the book of John and a study on the women in the Bible.

I am hoping...to get everything done on the computer tonight that I need to, not knowing when mine will be working again.

I am creating...crafts, notes, and other things to go with our study on Ancient Greece. We are loving this history lesson. We're even making clothes to model that the women wore back then.

I am hearing...the TV in the background. My friend's family members are watching shows together.

Around the house...things have a soft glow cast on them. My friend has a lovely, well-maintained home. Right now, she has lamps that are casting a soft glow on things here in the living room. It makes the room feel comfy.

One of my favorite things...is doing this daybook. I really enjoy slowing the pace of my life down and doing this every week. It helps me stop, look around, and appreciate things around me. It helps me to remain content. It helps me think of God, friends, nature, work to be done, my schedule, etc.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...Help my 9 yr. old with projects, Wednesday morning classes, a few errands, and finally finishing laundry tomorrow. I'm also hoping to finish writing a "talk" I'm doing in Oct./Nov. and finish my Greek lessons.

I don't have a picture thought to share today, but I pray that each and every one of you has a very blessed and wonderful rest of the week.

Pensieve's Poetic License w/ a Cinquain-Autumn theme

2008-09-25T18:42:00.005-04:00

Robin at http://pensieve.typepad.com/ has given us another license to wax poetically. I love it when she gets a chance to offer this challenge. Poetry, although I'm not nearly the best at it, is passion to me. I also love reading the other entries that are listed with Mr. Linky at her site for the PPL opportunity. You should click on her link and check them out.

Robin offers PPL to anyone, whether they consider themselves seasoned poets or brave first-timers. You'd be surprised how easy some forms of poetry are to write. Anyone can do it. Everyone should try their hand at it at least once. Below are my feeble attempts at a cinquain. Go to Robin's place for more details on PPL and how to write a cinquain. This offering, the theme is Autumn.

Autumn

dry, crackly

cooling, ending, coloring

excited about the hues, but the blues sets in

Seasons

Autumn

Summer's tail end

fast approaching--Wait! Wait!

Less light, shorter days sadden me.

Fall's here.

Who can tell I'm a late Spring/full Summer person?! I know. I'm in a small minority. Don't be surprised. I've always been the "different" one. ;)

THANKFUL THURSDAY

2008-09-25T09:38:00.007-04:00

“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”~ Romans 6:4 (ESV ~ emphasis Iris')

Iris, at Sting My Heart (http://www.eph2810.com/), has come up with a wonderful thankful theme and list today. She talks about "change." Oh, sometimes, to some of us, this can be a dreadful word! Who likes change? But think about it. If the caterpillar never underwent change, how would we be able to cast our eyes upon the beautiful butterfly? Aren't our lives as Christians similar? For all of you who have already given your lives to Christ for eternity, let's imagine the caterpillar was our pre-saved state. Let's imagine that we gained the knowledge that our life was spotted, tarnished, ugly, sinful, we were unable to change it, out of control, etc., whether we appeared to be moral caterpillars or not. Something should tell us that we were in need of a major change. So we agree that change needs to happen. Like the caterpillar goes into a cocoon, we go into prayer, asking the God of second chances to do what only He can do--change the old creature into a new one. We go into prayer one way, and like the metamorphosized (changed) caterpillar now turned butterfly, we come out another way, something beautiful, something that will never be the same as it was before, our chains of bondage from sin are gone. We've been set free. We've been rescued from death to life. We've been ransomed. Our tarnished surface is polished. Our inward stains have been washed by the blood of the Lamb.

"Thank You Jesus for change!! If it had not been so for me, I'd be destined for an eternal hell, permanent separation from You. I would be useless for the Kingdom, even now as I live on earth. Good morals or not, I could never see You face to face, as these character traits can't get me to heaven (good character is just the outward manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit because of salvation). I would have no eternal rewards. You would never be able to say to me, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Even as a moral human being, all of my good works would be counted as filthy rags. But oh faithful and good God, not so for me. Because of the miraculous change that I underwent in my prayerful cocoon, because of your loving me and pursuing me first, because I answered, because I realized that I'm nothing without You and You're everything to me and for me, some day, I will go from this life to eternal life with You. I will, like the butterfly, get to try out my new body and live eternally sinless. I will behold the beauty that is You, Lord. Thank You Abba Father." Well now, CHANGE is good!

For the sake of Iris's theme, I used change, because we are new (or changed) creatures when we are redeemed by the blood, but let's look a little deeper. Are our lives changed or EXCHANGED? In all actuality, our lives are exchanged with Christ's. We exchange our lives for His. We willingly give ourselves over. Jesus paid it all and in return, we give it all--our lives for the paid ransom. It's like an exchange done at the agreed upon meeting spot in a kidnapping--the person for the money. Picture the kidnapper shoving the person toward the person with the suitcase full of money, and at the same time or simultaneously, the person with the suitcase shoves it over to the kidnapper. "I'll give you what I have in exchange for what you have." Jesus went from life as a man to death on the Cross in exchange for our sins. He took our sins upon Himself. In exchange, we earned freedom. In salvation, we give our lives to Christ, He gives us eternity and life with Him. "Thank You Lord, for the EXCHANGE! What a gift!!"

These are the things that I'm thankful for today. What about you? Click on Iris' link above and see what others are thankful for as well.

TO THE TUNE OF TEA TUESDAYS #28

2008-09-23T07:30:00.003-04:00

Did you know that British tea merchants, seeking a trade route that would bypass the battlefields of the Crimean War, introduced Morocco to tea drinking in the mid-nineteenth century? Moroccans traditionally drink green tea (usually Gunpowder) flavored with mint (Mmmm!!!). Boiling water is poured over the leaves and immediately discarded (this will greatly reduce or even eliminate the amount of caffeine). Mint leaves and sugar hammered from a large loaf are added to the tea leaves, and water is again poured in. The tea steeps and is tasted; more sugar and mint may be added. Men--at home, either the father or the eldest son--always pour and serve the tea (alright! I'll let my husband do that!), pouring it in a stream from high above the small glasses--a spectacle in itself and a way for guests to savor the color and aroma before they drink.

What's the most exotic tea you've ever sipped and where? How was it presented and served? Did you enjoy it? Comment and let me know.

If you're new to To the Tune of Tea Tuesdays, come check in with us every week. Sometimes it's just an article (or post) that I think you'll find interesting, but sometimes I have Mr. Linky up and running because we've got something tea-themed going around, and everyone wants to share. It gives you a chance to read other tea enthusiasts' (or ones who might simply be curious about all things tea, but haven't taken the plunge yet!) blogs and comments. Grab a cup of tea or a tisane and join us! Also, go to my "labels" column and look at archived posts under this label.

All thanks be to God--Another blog award--I humbly accept

2008-09-22T19:36:00.004-04:00

Oh my word!! Goodness gracious!! My, My My!! Someone else likes my stuff!! My stinkin' little stuff on my blog! Woohoo!! Go God!! You're the one who let me and enables me, and gives me anything good and worthy to say! I just pray that I get better and better at this blogging thing and that I use it to point someone in Your direction, God, as well as have a little fun and drink a little tea!!

e-Mom at Chrysalis (www.chrysaliscom.blogspot.com) has awarded me with the Sharing the Love Award. I LOVE HER BLOG, and I visit her as often as possible. If you haven't already visited her, YOU SHOULD ASAP. She is a very good blogger, so obviously I'm so humbled by her even thinking of me to award this to. THANK YOU E-MOM!!!

Award Rules
This award is created by Crystal at Memoirs of a Mommy in honor of Noah and the donor of this sweet little heart who ENCOURAGES us to SHARE THE LOVE. The rules for this award are to pass it along to some people whose blogs you love. They make you laugh, smile, leave encouraging comments on your blog. You would like to share some love with them because they have uplifted, inspired, encouraged or prayed for you. Please include this paragraph with the link to Memoirs of a Mommy so that everyone know where this award originated.

Now I have to pass this award along. Well, there are many great bloggers out there, so this shouldn't be hard. BTW, if anyone is interested, I have listed 100 Jesus, Bible, Christianity-related things, and quotes in honor of my 200th post celebration post. It took me a couple of days to get it all completed, but it's done. I think you'll be interested in some of the facts, some you'll know already, some you may want to follow up on with more study of your own, and some you may just be fascinated or surprised by. If you have a while to sit down and read through some of them, check it out!

Blessings to you!

MOMMY (or caregiver/mentor) MONDAYS #27

2008-09-22T10:30:00.006-04:00

When you pray for your children, do you pray for the friends that they hang around too? Should that be a regular part of your prayer life when it comes to your kids? After all, they're not around you 24/7, and it matters about the influence they're under.

My husband and I were talking this weekend about the fact that as humans, we want to be in control of everything, our lives, the kids' lives, our situations, etc. We know that we shoud relinquish full and total control to God, but somehow, in our human-ness, we take back control and make decisions apart from God before we know it. Well, we CAN'T always control who our children are around, or who they will encounter when we just can't have that watchful eye over them every moment. Even when we are around, there can be subtle things that happen, that we may miss, but the children surely won't miss, that happened before we were aware of what was really going on. What to do? Well for starters, realize that we can't be in control of every situation that our kids are involved in, and we can't always control whom they will encounter.

But, we can pray for the people that they will surely come in contact with, whether we're there or not. My husband and I discussed how people in the church have the misguided notion that if they only expose their children to church kids, they don't have to worry about the problem of having their children exposed to "the wrong kind." Wrong notion! The enemy and his influence is everywhere, yes, including the church. The building of the church holds no special "aura" around the doors that once inside, you're safe, and the enemy can't penetrate the walls or the doors. Children who have worldly influence do come to church. And what's wrong with that? After all, that's where they need to be. If they have any chance of right influence and coming to know Christ (if they don't know Him already), this is the place to be. Christ didn't go around seeking the saved and the near-perfect, He sought the lost and sick. He hung out with ALL kinds.

It is best, we've learned, that we focus less on whom our children may encounter (though we do talk to them about their choices and we do try and steer them in the right directions or away from obvious negative influence) and focus more on modeling Christ in our home, teaching the love of Christ and His Word, teaching right from wrong then talking about and giving our children choices in life (knowing that there is a benefit or consequence to all of their choices--even what friends they choose to hang around), etc. We feel if they focus more on these things and practice them, they will be prone to make better choices when they're out. They get the opportunity, every time they leave us, to put into practice what they've learned. They also get the opportunity, if they choose wisely, to model Christ before the unsaved.

Sometimes I say, "Too bad I can't protect them fully from everything." But that shouldn't be "too bad." I should be glad to commit the Savior and Protector, the very Creator of the children who loves their very souls, to have complete charge of and parent my children through me. I always say, He can do a much better job controlling the things that He creates, than I can. I'm just the vessel He chose to use to parent them in human form and love them. I must stay prayerful, consulting the Creator, and ask for His protection on them. I must listen to His Words on how to raise them and obey those words. This is really all that we can do. We must fully trust God with them. That is hard isn't it? It's right, and it must be done, but in all honesty, it's hard sometimes. Yes, we must relinquish what we realistically have no control of to the one who is in ultimate control.

Pray then, for your children's encounters. Pray protection around your children (their hearts, minds, bodies) when they're out and about. Pray for their decisions when you're in their presence in public places or not in their presence. Pray for their classmates and/or church mates. Some are going to be saved. Some won't. You'd have to lock your kid up in the basement to protect them from potentially bad influences, but that bad influence NEEDS your prayers. What are the goals after all, in life, or what should they be? To glorify God and bring someone else to the saving knowledge of Christ.

NOTE: If you have been reading my celebration post (for my 200th), check back today and pick up where you left off. I'm going to try and finish this post today, but if I cannot, there will be new things to read, I'll get as far as I can get, and we'll be that much closer to 100!! I think doing the post ended up being a larger endeavor than I thought, but I don't regret taking it on. I hope you learned something you may not have known about God or the Bible.

THE SIMPLE WOMAN'S DAYBOOK

2008-09-22T09:03:00.004-04:00

For Today...September 22, 2008

Outside my Window...I'm a little saddened because things are starting to look like Fall, and while Fall colors are beautiful, I'm already missing the brightness, freshness, and green of Spring and Summer. I'm already missing the warm weather, as it is starting to get cooler, especially at night. I'm a warm and hot weather person.

I am thinking...I am thinking about all of the things God taught me this weekend. What a weekend we had here!! The Lord has taught us so many lessons and blessed us altogether this weekend. I'm thinking about the promises He makes to each of His children. He is so faithful!

From the learning rooms...the girls are working on various things. One is studying for a test and the other is working on one of her given subjects this morning. They like to be sprawled out on their beds with their books and folders open. This is their preferred room and studying position.

I am thankful for...the ability to pay our car note this month. We thought that it would be impossible with the financial hardships we've been having, but God, in His love, grace, and mercy, provided for us literally in the 11th hour (or is the saying "the 12th hour?).

From the kitchen...my water is boiling for my morning bowl of oatmeal. Yummy!

I am wearing...black sweat pants, a white t-shirt with black and red writing on it (it says "Behind this t-shirt is the best mom in the world"--my kids gave it to me a couple of years ago for Mother's Day), and those trusty white satin house slippers (what would I do without them?)

I am reading...not too many books on my "want to read list." I've been so busy with studies I'm doing, like The Study of the Women of the Bible, my Greek lessons, etc., that I can't get involved in any other book right now.

I am hoping...that God provides me with a way to make extra money while staying home. I thought I had a job prospect at the end of last week that sounded really good, but after my husband and I prayed and talked about it this weekend, we realized it wasn't the job for me.

I am creating...or trying to continue to create a more loving and orderly home for my family. I'm trying to teach this to my children so that they can prioritize this when they get families.

I am hearing...my daughter flip pages in her McGuffey's Eclectic Third Reader. I love these books. I want to eventually have all of them. I have 3 so far.

Around the house...I'm looking at my clean walls and baseboards and appreciating very much our efforts this weekend, to get them clean. The kids and I washed all of the walls and trim in the house (they had gotten really dirty and dusty) and windows, and my husband cleaned the upstairs bathroom and got all of the cobwebs out of the corners of every room in the house. I really appreciate everyone's efforts.

One of my favorite things...is listening to my girls read with lots of clarity and expression. I also like reading back to them this way.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...running errands for the family, picking my son up from Raiders practice every day, going to the library, doing a TV spot on a local TV station concerning domestic violence--educating the community and offering advocacy and support, going to classes at church on Wednesday, babysitting, going on a date with my husband, and hopefully resting at some point.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

I will need a few cups of this beautiful drink of nature by the end of my busy week. My relaxing cup of aesthetically beautiful and palate pleasing green tea--helping me to slow down and enjoy the small, precious moments in life. Talk about simple pleasures!!

Be Still Sundays

2008-09-21T07:30:00.001-04:00

This was pre-posted.

May the Lord impart His wisdom to you today, in such a way that your understanding is clear, and you have the heart to live it out. May His Holy Spirit fill you, His vessel, so that you may be used and controlled by Him.

201st POST ON MY 200th POST CELEBRATION!!

2008-09-18T09:22:00.014-04:00

Okay, so it seriously slipped my mind that my last post was supposed to be the celebration of my 200TH post!! Instead, my Thankful Thursday post was my 200th post and that should have been my 201st, if I had planned it right. Oh well!!! I'm so thankful to the Lord for all that He has done in my life that I don't mind my TT post being my 200th. But, I must still officially celebrate with a "hoopla," "song and dance," "all out party" type post (okay, not quite all that!), so, here it is. Okay, truth is, I'm not sure how I want to celebrate. I want it to be different than my 100th post celebration though. What shall I do? I must think of something creative. I simply must!!

Okay, I think I've got it!! I'm going to post about 100 facts about God and the Bible, well-known, perhaps unknown, reminders, promises, names of God...all that good stuff!! Oh now, don't get bored on me already. I know you were expecting something EXCITING, BIG, JUICY!! But, what's more exciting, big, and juicy than some really cool stuff about God and the Bible?!!!! I promise, I think I can make it worth your time. Stick with me. Let's celebrate (instead of little old insignificant me) THE ONE AND ONLY! Are you with me?

Is Jesus Christ a man, or is he God? Both. He became fully man when he came down and humbled Himself to be like one of His own creations. (Philipp. 2:5-8) He is also God. He has been here from the beginning (Col. 1:15-18, 19,20)
What does the name Christ mean? Meaning: anointed, the Greek translation of the Hebrew word translated "Messiah"
The Messiah is the same person as "the seed of the woman" (Gen. 3:15), "the seed of Abraham" (Gen. 22:18), the "Prophet like unto Moses" (Deut. 18:15), "the priest after the order of Melchizedek" (Ps. 110:4), "the rod out of the stem of Jesse" (Isa. 11:1, 10), the "Immanuel," the virgin's son (Isa. 7:14), "the branch of Jehovah" (Isa. 4:2), and "the messenger of the covenant" (Mal. 3:1). (this information from christiananswers.net)
Unlike any other baby, the one born that night in Bethlehem was unique in all of history. He was not created by a human father and mother. He had a heavenly pre-existence (John 1:1-3, 14). He is God, the Son—Creator of the universe (Philippians 2:5-11). This is why Christmas is called the incarnation, a word which means “in the flesh.” In the birth of Jesus, the eternal, all-powerful and all-knowing Creator came to earth in the flesh. (this information from christiananswers.net)
The word "trinity" is not found in Scripture. It is a word used by Christians to express the doctrine of the unity of God as consisting of three distinct Persons. This word is derived from the Greek word trias, first used by Theophilus (A.D. 168-183), or from the Latin trinitas, first used by Tertullian (A.D. 220), to express this doctrine. (this information from christiananswers.net)
A number of years ago, Peter W. Stoner and Robert C. Newman wrote a book entitled Science Speaks. The book was based on the science of probability and vouched for by the American Scientific Affiliation. It set out the odds of any one man in all of history fulfilling even only eight of the 60 major prophecies (and 270 ramifications) fulfilled by the life of Christ.
The probability that Jesus of Nazareth could have fulfilled even eight such prophecies would be only 1 in 10 to the 17th power. That's 1 in 100, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000. But (and this is a big but), all of the prophecies have been fulfilled except the re-building of the temple and the second coming of Christ.
You should know that the church is --
Built by Jesus Christ. -- (Matthew 16:13-18)
Purchased by the blood of Christ. -- (Acts 20:28)
Built on Jesus Christ as the only foundation. -- (1 Corinthians 3:11)
Not built on Peter, Paul, or any other man. -- (1 Corinthians 1:12-13)
Composed of the saved, who are added to it by the Lord, who saves them. -- (Acts 2:47) (Information obtained from highstreetchurch.net)
Jacob, one of the patriarchs mentioned in Genesis, had twelve sons whose names were given to the twelve tribes of Israel:
Reuben, Dan, Issachar, Simeon, Naphtali, Zebulon, Levi, Gad, Joseph, Judah, Asher, Benjamin
Levi was the priestly tribe. David and JESUS descended from the tribe of Judah.
God delivered ten plagues upon the Egyptians before Pharaoh would let the Israelites go. The plagues were: blood, frogs, lice, flies, murrain of cattle, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and death of firstborn
The books of poetry in the Bible (OT) are Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs), and Lamentations.
The Pentateuch (meaning five books) are the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
Most people think that Eve bit from an apple. Where did we get that assumption? The Bible does not name the fruit. The important point is that Adam and Eve disobeyed God.
How long did it take to build the ark (in Genesis)? About 120 years. WOW!!
Where are Sodom and Gomorrah? The ruins of these cities most likely lie under shallow water in the Dead Sea. God destroyed the cities because they were so sinful. Today, the nation of Israel runs oil wells near where these cities may have stood.
What is a mandrake (such a thing was mentioned in Genesis 30:14)? It is a plant. It has purple or white flowers. Its root is large and sometimes shaped like a human being. People in Bible times thought that it had magical powers (information taken from The Adventure Bible for Young Readers)
Manna was a special food that God gave his people, the Israelites. God gave it to them everyday they were in the desert, except for the Sabbath. The Hebrew meaning for the word "manna" was probably "what is it?" The Israelites discovered that manna tasted good and was good for them.
Did you know that Saturday was the Sabbath in Bible times? On this holy day, the people of Israel were not supposed to work. Many Christians keep Sunday as a special day or rest day. It is the day Jesus was raised from the dead.
When Jewish men prayed, many tied special little boxes holding Bible verses to their arms and forheads called phylacteries. Jesus told the Jewish men that they should not do this as a way to feel or think that they were especially holy. Do we do that? Do we have little things we put on, wear, carry around, etc. that we want people to see so that they can think we're "real" Christians or holy? Are are we allowing Christ to live through us in our day to day lives--modeling Him and His ways--putting on Christ, not things.
In the time of the NT, a day's pay was a single coin, called a denarius. This was enough money to buy food for one day and to rent a small room for the night. The coin was made of silver and was usually stamped with a picture of the Roman emporer.
A disciple is a learner. A disciple does not lead, but follows. Are you a disciple of Christ? Jesus taught His disciples to preach and teach. He wants to teach you how to follow Him and teach others about Him. Yes, God uses ordinary people (just like the disciples were) like us and makes us extraordinary!
Ecclesiastes means preacher or speaker.
A prophet is a special messenger from God. There are five major prophet books but only four prophets. These books are called "Major" only because they are longer in length. Every prophet who wrote one or more of these books can be placed in the history of Israel, which is covered by the twelve books of history.
The book considered historical in the NT is Acts.
One thing that must be understood is that God lives in Eternity, that is, he lives outside of time. A billion years, or fifteen seconds, is the same thing for God. Time has no real meaning to him, beyond his knowledge of its meaning to us. (Psalm 90:2-4) (information taken from my studies and SeekersTrove.com)
A covenant is an agreement between two parties. A covenant was stronger than a promise, with the intent of never being broken.
The Bible is the best-selling book of all time.
Most often in Bible times clothes were washed by dipping them in water and beating them with sticks. People who washed clothes for a living used ashes to treat clothes and then whitened them in the sun. (taken from The Adventure Bible for Young Readers)
The desert owl of Bible lands chooses to live in lonely places and is very afraid of people. Zephaniah uses this picture to show that Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria, will lie in ruins (Zeph. 2:14). Desert owls live in Nineveh's ruins even today, because no people are there. (taken from The Adventure Bible for Young Readers)
People in the Bible (and also today) prayed in many different places and positions. When Daniel prayed, he got on his knees to show his respect for God (Dan. 6:10). Moses was so upset because of Israel's worship of the golden calf that he fell face down before the Lord to pray (Deut. 9:18). Paul told believers to lift up their hands when they prayed (1Tim2:8).
Did you know that Miriam was the only female named in the Levitical priestly lineage in the book of 1Chronicles (spec. 6:3)? Though it is possible that Miriam could have had sisters, women were only mentioned in priestly genealogies if they were prominent and well-known to the reader. For Miriam, her inclusion in the lengthy list was an exception because of her significance in the life of Israel.
There were female prophets (they were called prophetesses) in the Bible. Miriam was one, Deborah, Huldah, and Anna (in the NT). There were two false prophetesses though--Noadiah and Jezebel. (side notes from the authors of The Principles of the Women of the Bible-Book One)
The Hebrew "Neviah" is the feminine form of the word "prophet," which means a speaker of oracles, one who spoke not his own words, but those which he had received from God.
Because of leprosy's contagious nature, in Bible days, those inflicted were required to separate themselves from other people and had to cry out "Unclean! Unclean!" when anyone came into view.
God changed Abraham's wife's name from being Sarai (My Princess) to Sarah (just Princess). While the change may seem insignificant at first, when God changed the name, no longer was Sarah to remain just Abraham's princess only, but now he would share her with a family that would multiply beyond belief.
Quote from the authors of TP of the W of the B-Book One: "Past faith is no guarantee of future victory--every day we must trust God."
Another quote from the same authors: "The main reason for consequences to sin is not the sin itself, but our unwillingness to deal with that sin God's way." (These are great quotes, and although they didn't come from the Bible, they are about God and I thought I'd throw them in for a little variation in the list.)
Quote #3: "Every time I sin, someone else is affected. Either they share in the bad that results, or they are robbed of the good that would have come if I had not sinned..."
Word study by the same authors the above quotes are by: Rahab's pagan family named her with a mythological and symbolic term meaning "the raging monster" or "the impetuous one." Yet, because of her faith, commended in the NT, this once gruesome term is ever associated with the woman who believed God.
Quote #4: "You cannot alter your past, but you can put your past on the altar." I like this one.
Middle Book of the Old Testament...Proverbs
Middle Book of the New Testament...2Thessalonians
Longest Book of the OT...Psalms
Longest Book of the NT...Luke
Longest chapter in the Bible...Psalm 119
Shortest verse in the Bible...John 11:35
Longest verse in the Bible...Esther 8:9
The longest word (that I can find) is Maher-shalal-hash-baz ( a person's name-18 letters long) found in Isaiah 8:3. The symbolic name meant "Swift is the booty, speedy is the prey," something the Lord had quoted in v.1 of the same chapter.
Methuselah lived to be 969 years old.
Read the story of the birth of twin boys (Perez and Zerah) where one had a scarlet thread tied on his hand before he was born. Gen. 38:27-30
Laws of morality were so stingent for the Israelites (to keep the purity and testimony of the people and the nation) that Deut. 22:22 says "If a man is found lying with a married woman, then both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman and the woman; thus you shall purge the evil from Israel." That's serious people!!! Suppose we had these laws today. Adultery and divorce would probably hit an all-time low. Hmmm....
Deut. 22:5 gives the sundry law of men not wearing women's clothing and vice versa. It was an abomination to the Lord. Upon some study of this verse, it is believed that this law was enacted to prohibit such perversions as transvestism and homosexuality, especially under religious auspices.
In Judges ch.20, when the tribes of Israel went up against the tribes of Benjamin, the tribes of Benjamin actually had 26,000 men who drew the sword and 700 choice men. The 700 choice men were...ALL LEFT-HANDED! It is said in v.16 that these choice men "could sling a stone at a hair and not miss." With all of that awesome, left-handed talent, Benjamin was defeated anyway.
Absalom was said to be the most handsome man in all of Israel. He had no defects from head to toe. He had long, beautiful hair and got it cut once a year.
There was a man of great stature in the book of 2Samuel (21:20) who had 6 fingers on each hand and 6 toes on each foot, giving him 24 digits.
Rehoboam had 18 wives and 60 concubines. It is said that he loved Maacah, the daughter of Absalom more than all the others though. He fathered 88 children.
According to statistics from Wycliffe International, the Society of Gideons, and the International Bible Society, the number of new Bibles that are sold, given away, or otherwise distributed in the United States is about 168,000 per day.
The Bible was written in Hebrew, some Aramaic, and Greek. (If there is another language it was written in out there, tell me because I don't know it.)
The wisest and richest man in Scripture is Solomon
The most beautiful woman described in Scripture was queen Esther
The justification chapter-Romans 5, The sanctification chapter-Romans 6, The glorification chapter-Romans 8
Most ancient writings do not even profess inspiration, but the Bible professes not only to be inspired, but to be the ONLY inspired writing (Isa. 8:20). The central character of the Bible, the Lord Jesus Christ, professes to be the ONLY way to Heaven. Unlike the ancient philosophers, the men of the Bible are men who speak with great power, certainty, and authority. (taken from www.av1611.org)
Another interesting design in God's word is His unique way of attaching meanings to various numbers. Developing a basic knowledge of what a number is generally associated with can be very helpful.
One is unity. Two is division. Three is trinity. Some say four is the earth (?). Five is death. Six is man. Seven is perfection, or completeness. Eight is a new beginning. Nine is fruitfulness. Ten is the Gentile number. Eleven is a mystery to me. Twelve is Israel's number. Thirteen is rebellion.
The Author of the Bible is STILL ALIVE, so He can help you understand it (James 1:5; I John 2:27; I Kings 3:5-12). When is the last time you asked the Lord for understanding?
Quote: "I never saw a useful Christian who was not a student of the Bible." Moody
Quote: "I enter a most earnest plea that in our hurried and rather bustling life of today we do not lose the hold that our forefathers had on the Bible. I wish to see the Bible study as much a matter of course in the secular colleges as in the seminary. No educated man can afford to be ignorant of the Bible, and no uneducated man can afford to be ignorant of the Bible." Theodore Roosevelt
I don't know the author of this quote, but I really like it: "Other books were given for our information. The Bible was given for our transformation."
I love the use of words in this quote: "I have always said, I always say, that the studius perusal of the sacred volume will make better citizens, better fathers, and better husbands." Thomas Jefferson (Don't you love "...the studius perusal of the sacred volume..."? I've got to use that.
I love this quote too and believe it very much: "I Thoroughly believe in a University education for both men and women, but I believe a knowledge of the Bible without a college education is more valuable that a college education without the Bible." William Lyon Phelps
A little funny for ya: "Honey, go get mother that grand ole Book that she loves so well," a woman said during a pastoral visit. The girl returned with the TV guide. (Ouch!! This wasn't my little funny. I found it on a website)
The word Hallelujah is Hebrew for "praise the Lord"
The only two books in the Bible that don't contain the name of God are Song of Solomon and Esther.
Despite the fact that most people believe that Jonah was swallowed by a whale, it is more probable that the "great fish" mentioned in Jonah chapter one was not a whale because whales are very rare in the Mediterrean Sea.
The last word in the Bible is AMEN, meaning "so let it be" or "may it be so."
Another interesting subject that is found throughout the word of God is angels. Interesting Bible facts reveal what angels look like and why they were and are important to Christians. God sent angels to minister to those who are to inherit salvation. Another important fact that God's word shows us is that Christians are not to worship angels. God uses angels to spread good news, do spiritual battle, and to protect His children. He also uses angels to execute judgment. He sent His angels to Lot and his family to rescue them right before He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of the wickedness of the people. (taken from christiannet.com)
Although the Bible was written over a period of about 1400 years, its text has come to us in a remarkable state of preservation. This preservation was possible because of the large number of manuscripts found.
The books of the Bible originally had no chapters or verses. Now that is a cool Bible fact. Most people don't know this, but can you imagine now, reading your Bible without having it broken into chapters and verses. There was also no punctuation like ours used either. If you study the Greek language and text of the Bible, you'll know by words' endings where the text is supposed to stop, etc.
The authors of the New Testament appealed to their audience because they all had first hand knowledge of the Person of Jesus Christ.
Quote: "A little lie is like a little pregnancy it doesn't take long before everyone knows." - C. S. Lewis (Don't you just love him?)
A Bible in the University of Gottingen is written on 2,470 palm leaves.
The word ‘Bible’ comes from the Greek word ‘biblia’, a word of Latin origin and simply
meaning, ‘books’. This word had its beginnings with the word ‘biblos’, which referred to any kind of written document, but originally to one written on the inner bark of the papyrus plant, imported from Egypt.
A collection of the oldest manuscripts of the Bible were discovered in 1947 in a cave in Wadi Qumran on the north of the Dead Sea. Among this collection was a 23-foot leather scroll containing the complete book of Isaiah. This copy of Isaiah is unique proof of the reliability of the Holy Scriptures, for the text agrees exactly with what we have in our present day Bible. From a total of 11 caves many more scrolls of different books were discovered. In the early 1960s a special museum in Jerusalem called, the Shrine of the
Book, was built to house many of the scrolls. (taken from bibleinformation.googlepages.com)
The word ‘Armageddon’ only appears once in the Bible, but would be one of the most recognised Bible words today (Rev.16:16).
Hebrew words that start with a ‘Y’ sound have mostly been given a ‘J’ sound in our English
Bibles. The Hebrew name ‘Yehowshua’ becomes Joshua or Jesus in English. The rather long name, ‘Yeruwshalayim’ becomes Jerusalem in English. ‘Yarden’ becomes’ Jordan, ‘Yizreel’ becomes Jezreel, ‘Yeriychow’ becomes Jericho and ‘Yowceph’ becomes Joseph.
Jesus is our Mediator in heaven (Rom.8:34; 1 Tim.2:5; Heb.4:14-16, 7:25, 9:15)
Gabriel, Michael, and Lucifer are the three angels mentioned by name in the Bible.
Salt is mentioned more than 30 times in the Bible.
Names for God in Hebrew: El-Elyon (The Lord Most High-Deut 26:19), El-Shaddai (The God Who is Sufficient for the Needs of His people-Gen 17:1,2 Job), Jehovah-Elohim (The Eternal Creator-Gen 2:4, Gen 1), Jehovah-Jireh (The Lord our Provider-Gen 22:14), Jehovah-Ropheka (The Lord our Healer-Ex 15:22), Jehovah-Rohi (The Lord our Shepherd-Psalm 23)
The prophet Elijah raised a widow's son from the dead (1 Kings 17:21-22)
The prophet Elisha brought back the son of a grieving couple (2 Kings 4:35)
A dead man placed in the grave of Elisha also returned to life when his body touched the prophet's bones (2 Kings 13:21).
The fish was used as both a secret code and an anti-Roman symbol by those who were persecuted in the early days of Christianity. Why a fish? Not, as one might expect, because in Matthew 4:19, Jesus said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Rather, it was because each of the letters in the Greek word for fish, ichtus, are the same as the initials in the phrase Iesous Christos Theou Huios Soter: Jesus Christ, of God the Son, Savior. (taken from truebeliever.012webpages.com)
The first of the 14 healing miracles Jesus performed was in Capernaum, when he cured the nobelman's feverish son (John 4:47-53).
Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so. (I couldn't resist this timeless truth)
"The truth shall make you free." - John 8:32
The Most Common Name in the Bible--There are over 30 Zachariahs, with Azariah a runner-up at nearly 30. Third place goes to Meshullam of which there are over 20.
Under sundry laws in Exodus, these were crimes punishable by death: "(Be)" a witch." (or allow a sorceress to live)- Exodus 22:18, "Sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only." (or sacrifice to any God other than the Lord alone would be utterly destroyed) - Exodus 22:20, and "Doeth any work in the Sabbath day." - Exodus 31:15
"The truth shall make you free." - John 8:32
Jesus really is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
John 19:30 says Jesus uttered, " It is finished." Just like this list!

Thank you for reading all the way to the end, if you did. I hope you found this list quite interesting, useful, engaging. I hope it prompted you to look up some of these things for yourself. If you found any error in my information, please comment and let me know. I like to be corrected. I tried to personally look up all of the facts that I got from other sources, otherwise, the other facts were ones that I had studied and found to be true myself. Thanks for celebrating with me.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

2008-09-18T09:22:00.006-04:00

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ~ John 8:31-32 (ESV ~ emphasis Iris')

Iris at Sting My Heart has a wonderful Thankful theme today--TRUTH or being thankful for the truth. What is truth? If you took a survey on the street, you WILL get all kinds of answers, but the TRUTH is, THERE IS ONE TRUTH, ONE WAY, ONE JESUS! Are we being religious fanatics, elitists, snobs, etc. when we say this? Well, like Iris said, we didn't say this (and we didn't have to), Jesus says this about Himself. There are no other false gods that have been introduced to man that can make the same claims and assertions about themselves as God and Jesus could and did. Not only did God make the claims about Himself, He literally lived them out. He still does today. No other false one has, nor is, doing that. Won't you praise Almighty God with me today for who He was, is, and will be! Aren't we thankful for the truth that He left behind!!!!

I am thankful today for TRUTH, good old, unadulterated, uncompromising, loving, transforming TRUTH!!
I am thankful that the TRUTH set me free!!
I am thankful that the TRUTH set my whole household free!!
I am thankful for Truth-Seekers.
I am thankful that the TRUTH stands on its own and needs no help, additions, or subtractions.
I am thankful for God whose Spirit helps us recognize truth and distinguish it from error.
I am thankful for the TRUTH that God allowed to be left behind in His Holy Writ for us to read.
I am thankful that the TRUTH is being carried to the ends of the earth everyday by those who are on God's mission, whether that's foreign, domestic, or right in our homes!

What are you thankful for today? How does the TRUTH impact you? Join Iris and many thankful-hearted others and see what God has placed on their hearts about being thankful. Go to http://www.eph2810.com/ and read and/or post your own. Thanks Iris, for today's theme.

TO THE TUNE OF TEA TUESDAYS #27

2008-09-16T18:15:00.006-04:00

Sorry so late with this post my people. If I'm going to do a post at all in a day, it's usually earlier than this. Now, since I've got the chance to blog today, at this late hour, I thought I'd go ahead and do my usual tea post. I love doing it, and I have people who actually read this post regularly.

We know the importance of fluoride, right? I mean, you hear your dentist talk about it all of the time. (Fluoride, of course, has been shown to fight tooth decay and reduce plaque.) You probably buy your toothpaste based on the amount of fluoride it has, because you know your pearly whites need it. We may also be concerned with having fluoridated water. That could be a great addition to your water source at home. Woudn't hurt. So what does your toothpaste, water, and this tea post have to do with each other? Uhhh...FLUORIDE! Tea has flouride?!! Who knew!! Another great reason to drink it.

(picture from www.matton.com)

Linda Osborne has published that it has been found that "black tea contains more flouride than a comparable amount of flouridated water. Tea also contains calcium, which contributes to strong bones, and zinc, thought to strengthen the immune system and fight colds. It is a source of B vitamins, including B1, B2, and B6, which promote a healthy heart, inhibit free-radical damage, and boost energy. Folic acid, known to aid in blood cell formation and preventing some cancers, is present in tea, particularly in Assam and Darjeeling." These are teas from India. There are many great sources for these and others online. Like I always admonish, check your online source and make sure the company you buy your tea from is reputable, doesn't make outlandish claims about what it's tea can do, has fair pricing for the quality of tea you're getting, and doesn't keep it's tea warehoused too long. Buying the freshest tea possible is very important. Taste depends on it.

Have a great day today. I pray that you find yourself a great black tea and end up with a perfect cup of that perfect infusion and stronger teeth to boot!!

MOMMY (and caregiver/mentor) MONDAYS #26

2008-09-15T11:27:00.005-04:00

Don't you just love it, if you have children who are out of the home, and they come back and visit? I love seeing my 18 year old son. When I see him, I'm surprised that he's 18, although he's been 18 since March. I can't get it through my head. It's not that his being 18 makes me seem or feel old, it's that my firstborn is 18!!!

Well, he came over last night, to spend the night with us, and the kids still home are always happy to see him. He picks up where he left off in playing with them, kissing on his "Sissy," going in and out of my refrigerator (as if he's never left), and just generally feeling like he's home. I want all of my children to feel a sense of home, even after they leave. What about you? How does this play out for you if you have grown (or nearly grown--I don't consider 18 grown yet) children?

I'm learning how to transition from needing to be his full-time, at-home Mommy, to being his confidante, his friend, his mentor, and whatever else God would have me be in his life, at this stage. WOW!! I never pictured myself getting here, although I knew it would come. I thought it would look different than it has actually played out. What did you expect? Was it the same or nearly the same?

I want him to know, that despite decisions this year that God and we as parents are not pleased with, that God still has a plan for his life, and he needs to take the necessary steps and daily meditations to get there and/or figure out what that plan is. We want him to know that we pray for him daily and that he is always in our thoughts. What things do you feel you need to pray for your adult child/en (nothing personal you may not want to tell)? Our concern for them sure hasn't lessened has it? Just different.

I thank God that He has allowed me to see this child to near adulthood, one to high school, one finding her way and figuring out who she is and whose she is as a middle schooler, and one still under the shelter and protection of the parent in elementary school. I thank God that He is a God of second chances and third and fourth and...because we don't always get it right the first time as parents. I need the Lord to parent my children through me. I always say the Creator can do a much better job at dealing with His created than one of His created can.

Have a wonderful rest of the day.

THE SIMPLE WOMAN'S DAYBOOK 9-15-08

2008-09-15T09:13:00.008-04:00

Won't you join us today, leaving a glimpse into your Monday by posting in your Simple Woman's Daybook? If you've seen this before, then you know what to do, but if you haven't, welcome to my entry of The Simple Woman's Daybook, a neat little idea by Peggy at http://www.thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/, that allows you to slow down, look around you, and share a few little simple things about how your day is going and what your plans are. It's not just fun, but it's a way of getting back to "doing LIFE together." The internet is a fabulous tool for such a thing since our world now is so fast paced, we don't get to know our neighbors anymore, and we don't follow the principle of sharing one another's burdens as much as we used to.

Outside my Window...it looks like it wants to be sunny so bad, but the clouds keep bullying. How will it turn out in the end? Only God knows. I pray for sunshine. I feel more chipper then.

I am thinking...my tooth is not hurting anymore!! (I was up all last night, taking Ibuprofen, praying, thinking about not having the money to see a dental specialist...AGAIN, not wanting another root canal and other dental work) I prayed for a miracle with the "teeth trouble" I'm having. I hope to be in God's will with that.

From the learning rooms...the girls are working in separate rooms because I have one who is easily distracted and tends to distract the other one. They work better separated until there is a subject that they can work on together.

I am thankful for...being able to stay home with my children and be here for my husband when he gets home from work. We don't have a lot of money for extras and sometimes the entirety of all of the bills (sometimes, we may have to make payments) because I don't work, but we have decided that the financial sacrifice and smart, tight budgeting has been more than well worth it.

From the kitchen...dishes left over from breakfast, a few things on the table, and the counters need to be wiped down.

I am wearing...khaki capris, a white t-shirt (that has purple writing on it), and those ever-faithful, white, satin house slippers.

I am reading...too many books at once--some verses in Exodus for a study, The Rising by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, and Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke.

I am hoping...to keep the faith in the prayers I've prayed to the Lord and that I don't have to go to the dentist or endodontist, that I can make it through today and subsequent days without suffering with dental problems and pain. God is faithful though. I know that for sure!

I am creating...or helping my daughter put the finishing touches and a roof on her beaver dam we've been working on in science. She's so proud of it!

I am hearing...just the faint hum of the fan in my computer tower, one of my daughter's hands slide across her paper as she writes, and the clicking of the buttons on the computer keyboard. I also hear an occasional truck or car pass by outside.

Around the house...it's pretty neat and tidy. I've set some new rules or shall we say "helpers" in place so that our house stays neater longer. Lately, I'm having to remind everyone of the reasons we pitch in and help each other take care of what God has blessed us with.

One of my favorite things...is seeing the expression of or "the lightbulb suddenly shine" in someone's head of something they just couldn't grasp, or something brand new and delightful, or something they've been wrestling with and the answer just came. I love to see prayers answered for people, God's way. I love to see people who have just learned something new about Christ and their life is forever changed!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...my list is almost identical to Peggy's. I just (while I'm working on this daybook) had a phone call from my dentist's office to confirm an appointment I had forgotten about, to get our regular screenings and cleanings done tomorrow. How ironic, considering what I'm currently going through. We also have library books to return by Thursday, and after everything else we have to do for the rest of the week, I'd like to just settle in afterwards and enjoy home too.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Looking forward to tea today, if my stomach will cooperate, whether it's iced matcha like the picture above suggests or hot chai,...I'm looking forward to a "tea moment."

I don't take many personal pictures, so I won't have many to share of my own. This picture is courtesy of Mr. Atsui (hope I'm spelling his name right) from Hibiki-An, the name of the company (family farm) in Japan that I have the privilege about once a year of purchasing my green tea from.

Oh my word! Another award I so humbly accept!

2008-09-11T19:53:00.004-04:00

My word!! Another acknowledgement!! Somebody (namely Tracy at Seed Thoughts--you get there by http://takeck.blogspot.com) loves my blog!!! Woohoo!! "Thank you precious Jesus. It's only because of you allowing something to come out of this brain to be typed on my blog that I have anything remotely worthy to say."

Tracy, thank you ever so much! I'd be satisfied if someone said, "I LIKE your blog." But to have someone say, "I LOVE your blog,"... well now, not only is that a great honor, but that's hard for me to wrap my mind around. Little old stinkin' me?!! Well, it doesn't change the fact that I still think I'm Little Old Stinkin' Me, but I sure am grateful, and I pray that God gives me something worthy and relevant to say for as long as I can. May He stay exalted while I remain abased.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

2008-09-10T22:12:00.004-04:00

Iris at Sting My Heart (http://www.eph2810.com/) invites us to share how we're thankful every Thursday. Won't you join us? Click on the link above and see what Iris and others are saying. See how they're giving credit and praise to God for what He has done. Her verse for the week is “I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.”~ Psalm 52:9 (ESV ~ emphasis Iris') And now, it's my turn to be thankful and praise Him.

Lord, I am thankful today for the wonderful, in-depth studies at church you've lead me to take, so that I may draw closer to You and do what You ask of me.
My God, I am thankful again, as I have been so many times before, for the man of God, who is my husband, that he is a man after Your own heart, and his desire is to please you first and then me.
Father, thank you that you have chosen me and my household to be Your children. You love us, lead us, guide us, convict us, take care of us, have mercy on us, and so much more, just like a father would.
Prince of Peace, thank you for the peace that you give that surpasses all understanding, when we can't muster it for ourselves, when we need it the most.
Thank You that You've given us the hearts and minds to praise Adonai (our sovereign God).
I'm thankful that You're omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.
Thank You today and everyday that You live up to Your promises because You are El Shaddai (The God Who is sufficient for the Needs of His people)
And last for today, but certainly not least, thank you that you're Jehovah-Rohi (our shepherd-Psalm 23), that because of You, we shall not want, You lead us beside still waters, You restore our souls, You are with us.

Oh Lord, thank You today for ALL that You are to us and for us. I am so grateful and will be eternally.

WEDNESDAY WISDOM #17

2008-09-10T13:14:00.004-04:00

SEEING SARAH IN YOURSELF

In one of my classes at church, we're studying the life of Sarah. What comes to mind when you think of her? What have you been taught about her all of your life? Most responses are that she is a great woman of faith, and you hear people often say, "I want to be just like her." Well, in a way, most of us are already like her, but it's not necessarily the positive way we've heard or talked about.

Like we function now, and like Sarah often functioned then, we act like humans. And what do humans do? Err. Sin. Some days we sin over and over and over. Will we ever stop? Well, I think you know the answer to that.

Let's look at the life of Sarah a little closer. While she eventually, as mentioned in Hebrews 11:11, became known as a woman of great faith, an obedient wife, and a woman after God's heart (or at least His promises), she didn't always appear that way in Biblical accounts. In fact, Sarah doubted God because of her age. She heard the promise that God made to Abraham, but it wasn't happening in a sensible time frame as far as she was concerned, so she doubted that it would happen, at least through her. She knew the seed of promise was to come through she and Abraham, but she remained barren for so long. Sarah, I think really wanting to obey God and wanting to see the promised fulfilled, took matters into her own hands. She was going to "make" something happen, even if it didn't happen the way God said it would. Do we do that? Are we impatient with God? Do we believe and stand on His promises, no matter how long it seems to take for them to be fulfilled?

Sarah insists that Hagar, her maiden, be given over to her husband so that a child, that she probably thought that she could raise as her own, could be born and the promise fulfilled. Sarah wanted to get on with it. She also didn't want to be the shame in her culture by not producing a child. There were probably many reasons why Sarah took matters into her own hands. She wanted to obey, but was tired of waiting, she was getting older, she would have been put to shame in her culture, she wanted to help God out, she wanted to please her husband, I'm sure. Can we sympathize? But did her reasons make her sin right? Have we had any of the same reasons or excuses for sinning? Even bigger, have we ever felt that God needed our help? If we didn't consciously feel that way, we sure act like He does sometimes.

Sarah and Abraham also were found to be, well...liars. Hmmm, is this still a human problem today? Abraham convinced Sarah to lie about not being his wife to the Egyptians and again to Abimelech. We can see that she wanted to submit to and obey her husband by going ahead with the lies, but that still didn't excuse the lie. Besides, they may have been able to plead innocent with the first lie, although they suffered consequences for that (God eventually saved them out of trouble), but they had no excuse for lieing about the same thing again, and Scripture proves, again. And of course, they had to suffer the consequences...again. There is even an instance in Genesis 18:11-12 where Sarah not only doubted God, but she lied (to God, of all people!) and said that she didn't laugh when our omniscient God knows that she did. Have you ever consciously or unconsciously called God a liar? Do we ever learn? The great thing is that regardless of Sarah and Abraham's sins (over and over), He still intended to and did fulfill His promises, using them. He was still merciful toward them when they got themselves in trouble. Can you recall God being merciful to you after you've taken matters into your own hands, or after you've sinned over and over?

Eventually, God's promise was fulfilled in Sarah and Abraham's life. God sent 3 messengers to tell Abraham that Sarah would be with child in a year's time (the appointed time). Though Sarah doubted this initially, obviously from studying Genesis and reading Hebrews 11:11, she had no choice but to believe what she had already been told and overheard. She was strengthened in old age to have a baby. You can no longer doubt God if you lay with your husband at, what was it 89 and 99, where apparently you weren't even having sex anymore-let alone a baby, conceive, be strengthened enough to carry a baby 9 months, and then deliver a healthy baby boy. That would make a believer out of me too. I'm sure her "faith issue" changed before conception. Her faith issue probably changed when she even had the notion (or Abraham did) or the desire to have sexual relations with her husband. I'm sure in a few weeks when conception was apparent that just really sealed the faith deal. Sarah became a great woman of faith through her trials. Can you see Sarah in yourself? Unfortunately, I know that I can, especially her errors. But I want to see myself in Sarah as the woman of faith; the woman that, despite her constant and apparent need for God and her need for believing Him at His every Word, learns from her mistakes and draws just that much nearer to Him; a woman that will go down in history, like Sarah, as being "real," but loving God and allowing Him to use her trials, unbeliefs, and struggles as ways that she was strengthened, and tried to help others.

What about you?

I hope you have a wonderful rest of the Lord's day!

TAGGED--8 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME

2008-09-08T20:51:00.003-04:00

Nice lady Tracy at Seed Thoughts (http://takeck.blogspot.com) has been tagged by her friend Joanne at An Open Book to play along, telling others 8 random facts about herself. The rules of the play-along says that once you're tagged and you post, you must tag 8 other people, and that's how I came into the picture. Tracy picked me as one of her 8 people, and I've decided to play too. Below are the official rules, and then after that, look out for 8 really random facts about me. Leave me a comment and tell me whether you're surprised about what you found out. It's all true though.

Rules:1. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
4. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

And now, for what you've all been so anxiously waiting for, because my life is just so interesting (Ha! Just kidding!)...

I've told this before on another post, but I'll tell ya here again--I co-owned a pure breed Myotonic Goat (mistakenly and incorrectly called Fainting Goats) farm (Ebenezer Loop M Farms and Lab) some years ago with other family members. We raised for the goat meat industry, for pure breed stock, and for Myotonic goat promotion and care.
I wrote articles (2 of them) for the Goat Rancher magazine.
I drink green tea more than any other kind and I order directly from a small, family-owned farm in Japan.
I am 9 1/2 years cancer-free from a rare cancer that resulted from a molar pregnancy. The cancer was called Gestational Trophoblastic Disease. It's pretty rare. Thank God for my on-going health!! I needed no treatments, only surgery to be cured from the cancer. The surgery got it all.
I have 2 sisters and all 3 of us were pregnant at the same time twice. We all have 4 children apiece.
I lived in Hawaii for 4 years.
I lived in Petaluma California for a year, took the police officer's exams (I don't know what I was thinking at the time), and went through physical and psychological testing, passed everything with flying colors, but never went to or through the actual academy. I ended up moving away.
Finally, I have a child on the way to college in the spring, one in high school, one in middle school, one in elementary school, and I babysit one that's a toddler. Yes, my day's are full!

This has been fun! Now let me see who I can tag.

Robin at Pensieve (www.pensieve.typepad.com)

Kary at Palai Schole (www.palaischole.blogspot.com)

e-Mom at Chrysalis (www.chrysaliscom.blogspot.com)

Iris at Sting My Heart (www.eph2810.com)

Gina at Chats With An Old Lady (www.chatswithanoldlady.blogspot.com)

Momma Roar at Lifting Hands (www.liftinghands.blogspot.com)

Christina at Mustard Seeds (www.christina-mustardseeds.blogspot.com)

Linda at Remote Treechanger (www.remotetreechanger.blogspot.com)

I did it!! I was able to think of 8 people! Now I just pray that they don't all think that I'm some crazy wierdo out there that they don't know that much about or don't want to play along with. Sorry guys. You're in my favorites, so I just thought I'd ask if you'd like to play. I was tagged, so I tagged you. Hope you don't mind. Have a great evening.

MARRIAGE MONDAY

2008-09-08T13:42:00.007-04:00

e-Mom over at Chrysalis (http://www.chrysaliscom.blogspot.com/) hosts Marriage Monday, and what a precious, thought-provoking meme this is! I love to participate when I have the chance. She hosts this meme once a month, usually on the first Monday of the month. This month was an exception because of the holiday on last Monday. Visit her blog. You don't want to miss out. Even if you don't participate in Marriage Monday, this is a great blog to add to your blog roll and visit often. I've grown to love this blog and I check in as often as I can. Anyway, e-Mom's theme for this month is WHY ROMANCE MATTERS, and she asks this:

What tones down the tension, and tunes up the tenderness? How do you encourage your husband to open up and share his feelings? We want to know.

Here's my two cents worth:

It is just painfully obvious that men and women are wired different. Study after study proves that men love to have their wives share their physical bodies with them and fulfill their sexual needs. That's intimacy and romance to them. Women on the other hand, are usually just as satisfied, if not more so, with sweet, tender touch and closeness as they would be with sex. I know for me that's the case, although I enjoy my husband in relations both ways mentioned here.

I love to feel his tender touch. His hands are strong and they make me feel safe and secure. They physically tell me that he cares. I like to feel his body next to mine when we sit or lay down next to each other. I love the closeness and warmth. That would be enough for me. If I asked him, though I don't need to, that would NOT be enough for my dear, sweet husband.

I've figured out that all things in marriage, to make it successful that is, have to be learned. I mean we can have the natural tendency to be ourselves, but does that fill the need of the other person? Not always. Think about it. I'm a natural nurturer and I like to feel taken care of as well. My husband is a natural provider and he likes to be taken care of, but not necessarily in the ways that I do. If my husband were to just provide though, and not give me any attention, cuddle me, say the right words, affirm my duties and actions, and all the things that make me "tick" as a wife, I would feel neglected. On the flip side of that same coin, if I didn't purposely try and figure out then carry out what made my husband function and "tick," he would surely feel neglected also. I guess I'm saying that we should purposely, by many available means, try and figure out what pleases, helps, and satisfies the other person. We need to study the wiring of the other person and seek to connect and make things work. Doing this doesn't benefit one person, but both. Wouldn't you be more willing to do things for your husband (not by feelings of sheer duty and/or obedience) if you felt satisfied intimately and romantically? Wouldn't he perform or function better towards you if his needs were taken care of? Probably so, in a healthy relationship anyway. Submission to God and His words by both people, will always make the relationship work.

Romance does matter. My husband is an exception, I believe, when it comes to a man being naturally romantic. I don't mean creatively romantic. I mean intimacy-based romance. He is such a sweet man. He really fulfills my needs for touch, the right way, at the right times. He is thoughtful of me, kind to me, fills in the gaps for me when I physically can't do something for whatever reason, rubs my feet, opens my doors, pulls my seat out, gives me looks and stares that assures me that he has eyes for me, and much much more. For all the things I may temporarily moan and groan about, there is much more that he does right. For that I'm, truly grateful. This fills my female needs. While I would obey God and try, with His enabling me, to do the things that a wife should do, even if he didn't give me romance and intimacy, him doing so makes it that much easier for me to function and perform the way I should. God placed the need for intimacy within us women, and we shouldn't have those needs neglected or deny that they are there and need to be filled. When we're single, God takes care of these needs. He is our Comforter and Provider and Friend. If He decides to give us a husband, HE allows the husband to now fill those needs, although we should recognize that no human being alive could fill our needs as completely and rightly as God can.

I encourage my husband to open up and share his feelings with me as well as keep up the good work when it comes to intimacy and romance by meeting his needs. I believe that he would just be this way (romantic) anyway, but he would surely become discouraged if I were not to respond to his needs. While it's unrealistic to say that my husband is romantic and perfectly intimate 100% of the time, this is truly the way he is most of the time,...but, when he doesn't feel like talking or being creative in the relationship to keep "the fires burning," I give him ideas, I tell him what I would like to have happen, I try to be mindful of being consistent about filling his needs, we go to marriage retreats, we read books, we get ideas from other couples, we pray more than anything, and we read, read, read the Word of God.

One of the most romantic times in my marriage was when my husband and I were having a rather heated conversation about something I can't remember anymore, but I know that I was strongly disagreeing. We were dressed for a really formal occasion and had already gone to the function but had no time to go change before my son's soccer game, so we went the way we were. He in a nice suit and I in a beautiful dress of chiffon, satin, lace, a sheer wrap about my shoulders, and semi-high, strappy heels. When we arrived at the soccer game, I jumped out of the car first and headed to the field, assuming that he was close behind me. Big mistake! He literally ALWAYS opens my door for me, no matter what. He was very insulted. He doesn't care whether we disagree or not, he loves being the gentleman and having no one take that privilege from him. He leaned against the car and watched me saunter off, high stepping and moving quickly with an attitudinous "switch" in my walk. It was a little windy so I pulled my wrap (or shawl, depending on where you're from) close to me, cocked my head upward, and kept moving toward the field. Suddenly, I stopped and turned around and realized he wasn't behind me, and I started looking for him. When I looked back a distance, I could see he was leaning against the car, smiling no less!! What was he smiling about, I wondered!! This was certainly NOT a "smiling kind of moment," at least not in my opinion. I had to decide whether to go on to the field with my apparent attitude, or go back to the car. Of course, the sinful nature in me said to just go on to the field. He'll eventually make his way over. He's a big boy, besides, I'm not giving in to his little antics! Ha!! Yeah, right!! I walked back over to the car and he stands there, shaking his head and smiling harder. I got close enough to ask him what exactly he was smiling about, and he proceeds to say this: "I've never seen a more beautiful angry woman in my life. I watched you walk away and I love what attitude, in that dress, with those shoes look like. I wasn't turned off at all. Just the opposite. I wasn't angry anymore, I was capsized. You are beautiful, no matter how you feel. I can't stay angry or disagreeable with you. Come here." I came closer and well...he kissed me and walked me over, arm in arm to the field, staring at me the whole time, reminding me of how beautiful he thought I was. I will never forget this.

I hope you enjoyed this post today. There are more though. If you visit e-Mom at the link above, you can share in the romantic moments of others who participated this month. You can see why they think romance is important. I hope that your marriage is romantic, and if it's not, I hope you and your hubby find ways to make it so. It's worth every moment you put into it.

I share this picture a lot, but it's one of my favorites of us, and he had been being romantic towards me right before this picture was taken.

The Simple Woman's Daybook for Sept. 8, 2008

2008-09-08T11:02:00.007-04:00

For today...

Outside my Window...it appears that Fall is already here. Now, I'm sure all are happy about that, but not me. Why? The impending winter months. I like only the colors of Fall and maybe the first few weeks when it is still warm enough for my cold-natured tendencies to be able to tolerate it. Fall also means less light. I thrive and function better with more light in my life. Add warmth to that, and I'm a happy camper.

I am thinking...that I wish I could have seen my little baby nephew while I was in Memphis this past week. He waited until I came back home to be born, in fact the very hour that I arrived back in my city.

From the learning rooms...one of my girls is doing an entry to my (using Peggy's idea, but changing it a little) version of TSWD. We call it The Simple Young Woman's Daybook. The other daughter is reading an entry from her McGuffey Reader and struggling with some of the archaic but beautiful words the author of her story uses. I love the McGuffey Readers!

I am thankful for...the healthy and quick delivery of my newborn nephew (I wonder if my whole daybook entry will be about this child. You can see how happy I am about his birth). He weighted 8 pounds and 9 ounces.

From the kitchen...the water is boiling for the preparation of my daily dose of oatmeal. I love oatmeal, and I have a bowl of it or cream of wheat every morning. I put butter, cinnamon, and sugar in my oatmeal. I put butter and sugar in my cream of wheat, but sometimes, I will add a sprinkling of cocoa powder to it and make chocolate-flavored cream of wheat. It is delicious!

I am wearing...red pajama shorts with white stripes and a grey, ribbed, short gown with my white satin house slippers. Yeah, real cute huh?!! I can say that I'm quite comfortable though:)

I am reading...the books from a Janette Oke series. There are 8 of them, I think.

I am hoping...to get to see my new little nephew before he gets too big and cries when introduced to me because he doesn't know me, to have a good homeschooling week, that God answers prayers of provisions we need, that my oldest son progressively gets better in his decision-making now that he's 18, and that my youngest son makes wise, Godly choices while in public school.

I am creating...a beaver dam with my youngest daughter for science. This is going to be interesting!

I am hearing...my daughter talk to me about the "photo thought" she chose for her daybook. She chose a picture of a baby with lots of curly hair and as fat as can be (I think she's thinking of the same thing that I am, our new little addition to the family...okay MY NEPHEW who was born yesterday!!!! I'm so excited!)

Around the house...as usual, laundry needs to be done, especially since I'm just back from my Memphis trip. It looks like the guys didn't wash while I was away. That's okay though. I like doing my own laundry, and they like it when I have the lanundry all clean and ready for them to put away.

One of my favorite things...is to cuddle up and give lots of attention to my husband and kids after being away from them any length of time. I was in Memphis a whole week (I did take the girls with me), and I really missed my husband and my boys. I called them often, but of course, that was not the same. God really allows me to appreciate them more after I've been away from them. They are precious to me. I am thankful for the gifts that they are to me.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...Get things back together in the house, with the kids, and in my mind after being away a week, pick up where we left off in Memphis homeschooling the girls, get some homeschool plans together for next week, and get back to my doing more reading of the Word (didn't get to do much for "soul nourishment" while in Memphis--just for a study I was working on).

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...
(photo from the Anne Geddes collection at www.andrea-schroeder.com)

Babies and flowers--two of my favorite things!!

If you want to share in someone else's day or share in the idea of this daybook, go to http://www.thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/. You'll be glad you did. That's Peggy's place and the daybook entries are her idea. And it sure is a good one, I'll say!! Have a wonderful day today.

MOMMY (and Caregiver/Mentor) MONDAYS #25

2008-09-08T09:29:00.004-04:00

Well, the Lord allowed little baby A. M. Mason to come into this world with no complications and very healthy. He weighed 8 pounds and 9 ounces. This was truly a healthy baby boy! Who am I speaking about here? Why, my new little nephew born to my youngest sister in Memphis, of course! He was born yesterday at 12:50pm (yes, after I got back home and, after I had been in Memphis waiting on his arrival for a WHOLE WEEK and him not being born--long story I'll have to tell you about later) after having to be induced because he simply did not want to come out of the warm comforts of his mother's belly. Well, actually, my sister's hormones weren't activated properly, so they wouldn't trigger labor, but one just wants to believe that the baby just loved the comforts of the amniotic sac with its warm fluid, close, comfortable, secure tightness of the uterus around it, no dealings with the outside world, being fed without someone even sticking a bottle to your mouth (talk about feeding on demand!!), and no having diapers changed with cold baby wipes next to your skin. I'd want to stay there too!! Who wouldn't?!

Baby A. M. is his name for now because, well...he doesn't have a name yet. All of my sister's other children (3) have the same initials, so of course, this one will too, but she couldn't narrow her list of names down by the time he was born, so she is waiting and thinking. We've thought of Anthony Malachi, Adam Mitchell, Anderson Monroe, you name it, we've thought of it. I think that she should go with one of my picks of course, but in the end, it's her baby, and the name will be solely up to her. I'll be happy regardless. I'm just glad my baby nephew has been born!! I wish I had pictures, but none have been sent to me yet, and there are none on the web so far. You'd better know that as soon as they're up, I'm uploading them to my blog, and everyone will see him!!

If you have children, were any of your babies more than a week late (this was the case with my sister)? None of mine were, and when my body decided to deliver, my babies came fast and hard. Thank the Lord! Yes, I thank the Lord for fast, hard deliveries. The hard pain was over quickly and I felt back to normal almost immediately. I carried very little pain home with me. In fact, I remember a little tenderness, but no soreness at all. This, compared to some labor and delivery stories I've heard, is a major blessing. Now, this blessing of fast, hard labor and delivery is not the same scenario played out in my life while carrying my babies for nine months. That was a whole different ball game, not always played well. But God sustained me and obviously got me through. He was merciful and gracious to me in the end. So was He, it sounds, to my little sister. After she was induced and delivered, she called me and sounded as if nothing had happened at all. She sounded fine and rested. I'm so thankful for that. Neither of my sisters nor I had a rough row to hoe with spitting our little ones out.

Well, this post was dedicated to my little sister and Baby A. M. "Welcome to the world baby! I've already prayed for you and the plans God has for your life. I prayed that your mom commits herself and your life back to God, the One from whence your lives came. I will be praying for you often through your life, like I do all of your siblings. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! You are a blessing!"

Just a little Thursday news

2008-09-04T14:34:00.003-04:00

Hello, my precious readers!! I apologize for having no fresh, new material up, but I left sort of last minute this past Sunday, to go to Memphis to help my little sister, whose baby is STILL due any day or hour now. I came because she thought she was going into labor finally, since she is more than a week overdue, and knew that if she didn't go into labor, she would be induced on Wednesday. While I don't have time to tell you the whole story with details, Wednesday came and went, and she STILL hasn't had her baby yet, and now her doctor is saying that the next time she can be scheduled is this coming Saturday!! SATURDAY!!! I came here to spend a whole week helping her clean, arrange, get prepared, shop, and help her take care of her newborn, and now she won't be induced until THE DAY I have to leave to go back home?!!!! I can't believe this, and I am sorely dissapointed. I want to see my nephew, and I don't want to feel like I came to Memphis and spent a whole week doing...NOTHING!! Well, not quite nothing. I am getting to spend time with family and give lots of attention to my niece and nephews...BUT STILL! I want to see my new nephew too, and now, there is a possibility that I won't be able to. I can't stay in Memphis longer than Saturday because of obligations I have at home. I'm just going to have to pray that she goes into labor naturally BEFORE Saturday.

Anyhooty, I just wanted everyone to know why the blog seemed suddenly "closed for business." I will be back on by Saturday or Sunday. I'm looking forward to getting back to writing, responding, and reading your comments, if you leave any. Thank you so much for your faithfulness in checking in with me the days that you can, reading my material. I appreciate that. I thank God for the opportunity to write. I've discovered this year that this is a privilege that isn't always priority on my list that day, but a privilege nontheless. God, family, and home come first, but behind all of that, I like getting the chance to get on here and write and share. I've learned so many things from all of you, and I like to know that there are some things here on my blog that you find interesting as well.

Take care all. Pray for my sister, the baby, and I, and that God works it out that I can be of the most help possible to my sister and the baby and that I at least get to SEE the baby before I have to leave.

Have a great and blessed week!!

Be Still Sundays

2008-08-31T07:30:00.001-04:00

FRIDAY FUN DAY WITH PENSIEVE'S POETIC LICENSE

2008-08-28T20:43:00.010-04:00

So Robin, the inventor and sponsor of the PPL (Pensieve's Poetic License) says this:

"Oh, how I hope you've written a back-to-school poem for Pensieve's Poetic License! If you haven't already, it's never too late! This month's theme--"back to school"--could lead you in a thousand directions, and for once, you have freedom to choose poetic form!
Don't believe the lie you can't write poetry! My heart melts when writers step outside their respective comfort zones to tip-toe on uncertain ice, only to find the footing is more sure than they anticipated."

Okay, ladies (and possibly gentleman), what are you waiting for? I'll go first, and then, I expect for you to try your hand at it:). Go over to http://www.pensieve.typepad.com/ when you finish reading mine and see others' poetry submissions. I'm not sure if mine is even an official, recognized poetic form (although I can do those), but it rhymes. Works for me. Enjoy.

Just when I thought I was rid of one,

I get a another high schooler "for fun."

Then look around, a middle schooler. That's great!

One in fourth too--just my fate!

So, one out who should be in college,

Hopefully, he'll increase his knowledge.

Oh, I forgot. He already knows more than me.

After all, he's eighteen, you see.

Then there's Public School Pete,

Where our tax dollars pay for his seat

That he'd better stay in, and to his teachers listen,

Before we make that "back end" of his glisten!

That means we're left with two girls at home.

Where the Mommy Teacher doth roam.

Making sure they learn this, that, and the other,

And if they don't get it, we go no further.

We've got kids going in every direction.

I'm afraid of an insurrection!

I'm hearing "we've got fees for this and that."

Over my ears I want to pull my hat!

I may even hear, "Mom, let's leave the boys,

And home, and all the toys

For a homeschool field trip. Yeah, that's it.

Meaning at the park we'll skip, talk, and sit."

"Girls, don't give away our secret. Don't tell.

A rat the boys will smell.

They'll think we're not serious in our "learning,"

Our education we're not earning."

Whether it's home, college, or public schooling,

With our education, we're not fooling.

It's learning time, my dear, sweet babies.

Oh no, I don't mean maybes!

So let's pray and ask God to impart

His wisdom to us as we start.

I pray for a great school year for all,

While another round gets started this fall.

Have a wonderfully fun-filled Friday!

(Sorry folks. This wasn't supposed to be all run together, with no spaces in between the stanzas in the poem, but I tried to space while typing, tried to go into "Edit Html," you name it, and couldn't get this thing to double space, or I couldn't figure it out. If you know me, by now you know about my lack of computer skills.)

WEDNESDAY WISDOM #16

2008-08-27T08:43:00.004-04:00

When is the last time you just read through the book of Proverbs? We read through the Psalms all of the time (I know I do), but what about the book next door, to the right? Do we study Proverbs? How would you STUDY Proverbs? Well, I guess you'd pray for wisdom and understanding right? :) After all, that's, literally, what it's all about. But then, we should pray for wisdom and understanding when we study any book of the Bible, shouldn't we?

Today, I just thought I'd give you the introduction (from the NKJV) of Proverbs and invite you to start personally studying this book. It's not usually a book we go to and say we're going to study in depth. Well, some might, but most just kind of go through it, looking for gold nuggets here and there. Find a reliable commentary that discusses Proverbs, get a few other study helps pertaining to the book, pray and ask God to open your understanding of the verses (maybe do this first), etc., and with all of that, understand that Proverbs was written in the Hebrew language and in poetic form. Understand that it was thought by priests and prophets that Proverbs were written because it was understood that wisdom was the way of relating to God. It could be used by anyone, no matter their personality or intellectual ability. It gave short, understandable ways of communicating human life, for any and everyone. The priests understood that, and they understood that God knew that we were all different with different needs, but wisdom and "your own special way" of communicating with God was absolutely necessary. And so came the need to write Proverbs. I'm sure there is much more to this story, but that's an important part.

Here is a quote by Roger Hahn about this Wisdom Literature (Proverbs): "People today may respond to the wisdom literature differently according to their personality and training. Wisdom Literature often frustrates people who love the heavy-duty theology of Isaiah or Paul. Some of them even call the Wisdom material secular because it deals so much with life on earth. Other people who have been frustrated by theological intricacies often love Proverbs and other wisdom sayings. They like the simple, bottom line summaries of what pleases God. Regardless of our personality type and the way we individually might respond to the Wisdom literature, we can rejoice that God has included it in the great variety of kinds of Scripture to meet the needs of different people."

So with that, here is Proverbs 1:1-7 to get you started on what I pray is at least a curious journey, if not an in-depth study on why God allowed the Proverbs to be included in the 66 book collection we call the Bible. Remember, all Scripture is profitable.

1:1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding,
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgement, and equity;
4 To give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion--
5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and an enigma, the words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

If you never get farther in the book of Proverbs than the first seven verses, they sum up what it is the Lord would have us get. Get wisdom, but in all your "getting," get understanding, and even bigger than that, fear or respect the Lord. That's when you have true knowledge. You'd be a fool without it.

Have a wonderful day in the Lord.

TO THE TUNE OF TEA TUESDAYS #26

2008-08-26T12:05:00.010-04:00

This will be an easy one today, but I think it will be fun. I just want to know, if you can taste any tea you want to, what would it be? Now, you have to help us out by not just listing the tea, but leaving us a link as to where we might be able to find it, in case we want to try it too. Give your reason why you've been "on your head" to try this tea. We want to know. To make it even better, leave us a tempting picture of it. Write about it in my comments if you don't have a blog, but if you do, please post about it today (or the next couple of days) on your blog, and link back here at Mr. Linky so we can all share, K. Thanks, and let's play!

Here's mine:
(Picture from Katrina at http://www.teapages.blogspot.com/)

I so want to try "Tung Ting Premium. This young leaf tea from the highest plantations above Sungpoling (Pine Bluff) is regarded as one of Taiwan's best. Grown across a hilly plateau sheltered by groves of areca palm and giant bamboo, the tender leaves and buds brew a pale golden-green cup with a supurb flavor and a subtle natural floral aroma. It is one of the finest green oolongs. Use spring water at a temperature of 80° to 90° C. (180° to 195° F.) and multiple short steepings." I want to try this in a pale colored inside and medium blue outside, handle-less, Japanese cup. Something taller than it is short and wide. I want to try it virgin first and then try it with raw sugar. You can purchase this tea at http://www.holymtn.com/tea/oolongtea.htm and many other tea companies if you google the name of the tea. Be careful to choose reputable companies that don't warehouse teas long after purchase and shipment. Ask them by emailing or calling. Check for quality control, storage use, how they source their tea, etc. What am I saying? Get the best tea your money can afford from the best supplier. This doesn't mean expensive, it means quality.

What about you?

Have a wonderful tea day today. We certainly will. I'm going to brew a Japanese Sencha Fukamushi and my girls just finished a green ginger peach.

MOMMY (and Caregiver/Mentor) MONDAYS #24

2008-08-25T12:20:00.003-04:00

Have you shown your children the importance of grandparents or grand-mentors?

I have learned, even more since I've had children, the value and importance of grandparents. I really appreciated mine when I was growing up. I had only my grandparents on my father's side, and they lived only 4 houses up from me, on the same side of the road, so I had access to them all of the time. What a blessing!

Even if your children have no natural grandparents living or don't have ones that have established or maintained a relationship with them, they can be adopted by grand-mentors. These are people who have chosen to love and invest in the life of your child.

My children's grandparents love them very much. And as you may already know, grandparents bring a pleasure and quality into our children's lives that we cannot. This relationship between them is special. I support that as much as possible.

I have raised my children in a manner to love, honor, and respect their grandparents. I've raised them to respect adults in general, but I wanted them to have a real appreciation for older citizens, especially their grandparents or older people they came into regular contact with. My mother taught us about the benefits of this when we were young. She just had a heart for older people (she still does), and so she passed that heart on to us. She spent hours in the company of older people, doing things with them, ministering to them and their needs, and just listening to them. We didn't totally or fully understand that then, but I certainly do now. My mother still goes out of her way to be available to the needs of elderly people. She has been greatly rewarded.

I love to hear the stories, tales, and experiences of older people. There is always richness there. And I love the older women who understand and live out the Titus model. They go out of their way to make sure that they impart their wisdom to the next generation. Our job is to then take that information home to our girls. This should always perpetuate itself.

Sunday, I was at church, and was looking in a room for one of my daughters. I peered in and she is talking to an 84 year old lady, with the biggest smile on her face, with so much joy--you could see and sense it, even from a distance. This daughter is only 9 years old. They were so engaged in conversation. This is a lady who decided a long time ago, that she loved us and that our family was worth her investing her time in. She thought she was being blessed by us, but really, we are so blessed by her. All of our children love her. She was in my wedding 2 years ago, and although she is not blood related, she was escorted by one of my boys down the aisle as the Honorary Grandmother. She is treated as such, and so, there is no difference. She tells everyone her role in our lives with pleasure. God has blessed us with such a gift and she has imparted things in our lives that will live on, even after she is gone.

This works out quite well because my children don't have their loving but distant natural grandparents around. We visit them several times a year, but they just simply don't have the privilege of being raised with grandparents near. Well, our grand-mentors make up for that. There are so many loving seniors who will be glad to have a relationship with your children, whether natural or in a local nursing or retirement home. There are so many opportunities awaiting them and your child. If you haven't already, won't you make an effort to help promote such a relationship? Your children will grow hearts of compassion and ones that seek after wisdom, and the older person will have freshness and joy added to their lives and so much to give to your child's.

Mom and Dad, there are just some relationships we can't copy or even come close to emulating, and that is one they share with God's seasoned people. I look forward to being a grandmother one day, if God says the same. I want to practice what I've been privy to. I want to give it all I've got, and I want to end well. What about you?

My Daybook entry--August 25, 2008

2008-08-25T09:22:00.007-04:00

My daybook entry is below. Please join Peggy, the creator of The Simple Woman's Daybook, and others at her website, www.thesimplewoman.blogspot.com. This is a meme that happens at her site every Monday. Be sure to tune in or start your own entry of TSWD. I was so excited about it, I thought I'd use Peggy's ideas to create something similar (not online, but at home in journals) for my pre-teen and teenage girls.

For today August 25, 2008

Outside my window I see pouring rain. We've had rain for two days now, but we need it. It looks dreary, so the only thing that makes me happy when I look out is knowing we need the rain and that God sends it.

I am thinking of completing a workable homeschool schedule for the girls. We've been doing some trial and error schedules until we see what fits all of us, and I think we've found something that might work.

I am thankful that I'm finally over (or mostly) that nasty virus that I picked up and suffered through all of last week. Thank you Jesus!

From the kitchen, I see that everyone is finished with breakfast. One of my girls had simple cereal and milk, the other had rice and ketchup (I know, it's gross to me too, but she and my boys love this combination), and I had my usual bowl of oatmeal. I love oatmeal!

I am wearing jogging pants (gray w/white stripes down the side), a white t-shirt, my white satin slippers, and a white cotton scarf on my head. I feel comfortable.

I am creating a science curriculum for my girls, for this year. I found lots of resources that I like, so instead of buying a ready-made science curriculum, I'm creating one.

I am going nowhere today, but I have errands all the rest of this week. I'd better get my rest today huh?

I am reading no book outside of the Bible right now, although I've got plenty of books I'd like to finish or start on. I've been enjoying going to sleep some nights, praying and reading the Psalms.

I am hoping that the groups that I will start teaching at church and the group I have outside of church goes well, that people grow in the Lord, and that God is pleased. I pray that I'm in His will to be doing these things right now. I am also hoping and praying, if God will it so and provides, to go on another mission's trip in mid to late November.

I am hearing the complaints and pleadings of my daughter who has forgotten one of her spelling words and is taking a spelling/vocabulary test, and is afraid that she is going to fail it because, this week, she only had 7 words and she knows that the fewer words you have, the more points will be taken off. She wants me to let her think, and think, and think...and we've wasted too much time already. Her test can't go on all day. She doesn't like bad grades. Praise God for that, but...

Around the house, the floor needs to be vacuumed in the living room and hallway, but otherwise, it's good. It just looks dreary inside because of the dreariness outside and not much light pouring in. We'll have to make ourselves merry today:)

One of my favorite things is to know that we've gotten all that we possibly can, accomplished in the home and homeschool that day, that we haven't wasted time and have had good discipline, but without feeling overbearing and over-regimented.

A few plans for the rest of the week: looking over lessons for a church class I'll help teach, looking over more Ancient Greek history for the girls' History class, making sure I've got all of the books off the shelf that need to go back to the library, making plans to study the Word in-depth this week and not just surface level, and looking over my own private Greek language lessons.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

These are my sisters. I introduced myself in a picture last week, and this week, I'm introducing my sisters, who were the maid and matron of honor in my wedding. Don't they look BEAUTIFUL?!! I miss them. That's another reason that they are my picture thought for today. The one on the right is having a baby any day now (this picture is 2 years and 3 months old), boy #3, and the other is working and raising a family. She (on the left) and her husband have 3 children. She got saved earlier this year and she is diligently seeking after the Lord and trying to raise her children in the admonition of Christ. For a while, my sisters and I had the same amount of children, the same genders. Then when I got married 2 years ago, I added a girl to my brood and obviously, my number count changed. I was the oddball after all that time of being the same. Now that my youngest sister is having another, she will join me, a woman of 4! I will no longer be the oddball. But does that mean that there is a baby in my oldest sister's future now? Ha!! She would say an emphatic NO!! She'll let the youngest and I have that all by ourselves. No competition there!!

Have a blessed Monday and thanks for joining me.

The addition: From the learning rooms, my girls are diligently working, even right now, on their version that I created for them of The Simple Woman's Daybook. They are quiet and contemplative. They love that I created something like this for them (not Peggy's work, but as mentioned above, something similar, for my girls' journaling time at home). It was with teen and pre-teen girls in mind, because that's what I have.

BE STILL SUNDAYS

2008-08-24T07:30:00.001-04:00

FRIDAY FUN DAY WITH 40 WORDS OR LESS PC

2008-08-22T13:13:00.007-04:00

Sorry I'm getting this up so late. My 15 year old has a strained back muscle and ligament and we've spent most of the morning in the doctor's office, yes, while Mommy is recovering from a nasty virus and not feeling quite that well still, though, praise God, it's not as bad as day 1 or 2. You know though, we do what we have to do for the "younguns" don't we? Anyhooty, Robin at http://www.pensieve.typepad.com/, has submitted our next photo for the 40 words or less challenge, and I'm happy I can get back to participating. You can look through my Friday Fun Days label to see ones I've done before, and go over to Robin's place for rules on how to play, take a peak at her caption, and look at others' submissions.

So, what does the picture speak to me in 40 words or less? Check below the picture to read.

One day, this will be an Olympic sport. I'll be the Michael Phelps of skating the board, hoping for my chance to win gold. Eight times like Phelps...I can only dream, but... that's where it all starts isn't it?

Have a great day!

And yet another award to more humbly accept!

2008-08-21T22:01:00.003-04:00

Can you believe it?!! If you can, I certainly can't! Another award! Lord, only you knew! Robin, at www.pensieve.typepad.com, has thought enough of this relatively new blogger to pass along this award. Let me just add, Robin is the reason that I'm blogging in the first place, but, she is so much more advanced and so much more popular in the blog world, that I can't believe that I would be one of her considerations. She had so many more, she says, that she could have chosen from, yet she still thought that I, as well as 6 others, deserved this award. I'm so thankful...still surprised,...but thankful. I just humbly accept this award also. Guys, it's an "I love your blog" award! Somebody likes and respects what God has enabled me to do!! Woohoo!! Go God!

THANKFUL THURSDAY

2008-08-21T11:31:00.005-04:00

Iris (www.eph2810.com) picked a wonderful subject to think on and write about today--PEACE. Who doesn't need peace in their lives? Who doesn't need to draw upon that quiet, precious peace that surpasses all understanding, that only the Lord can give? Who knows the feeling of God's peace right in the middle of the storm? I know He has done it for me on more than one occasion, and it certainly does surpass my understanding. On my own, I would have been miserable, and I would have failed in my efforts to summon the peace on my own. Sometimes, things are so oppressive, you couldn't bring peace if you tried and gave it all you had. Sometimes, you have nothing to give. But God...

“There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” ~ Psalm 4:6-8. This is the Scripture that Iris referred us to today. It is so fitting.

Today, speaking of peace then, I am thankful for:

The peace that surely surpasses ALL human understanding.
Where my help comes from; my help comes from the Lord.
The peace He has given me, even in my illness (a virus) this week. The virus forced me to rest and think on Him.
The peace He gave me in my sleep after I felt like I had been under attack that night (earlier). My husband and I laid awake and prayed together and read Scripture, after I had been going through some things earlier with a friend, finally drifted to sleep, only to be startled awake like I was being attacked in my sleep.
The peace that He gives me after I pray and just leave the request at His feet and the results up to Him.
The peace that He gives me when I just simply trust Him.
The peace I feel (even when our budget is so tight that I can't see how a certain bill will be paid or a proper meal will be served) that God will take care of me. After all, He promised, and I trust Him. If He dresses the fields, takes care of the birds and animals, am I not more than they?

"Thank you Jesus, today and any other time, for the peace that you give and have so generously given. I am reminded by what You do, of who You are and who I am not. I am reminded of the things that I cannot do on my own. I like that, because if I could solve all of my problems and summon necessary peace, I would not need You, and I would become my own God. That's not the way it is though, nor the way it should be. I need you and am daily desperate for you. You are God."

Click on Iris' link above and see what others are so thankful for.

Another Award to Humbly Accept

2008-08-21T10:16:00.005-04:00

Linda, at Remote Treechanger (http://www.remotetreechanger.blogspot.com/) has thought enough of me and my writing to award me the Share the Love Award. This will be the second of this particular award given to me, and again, I humbly, humbly accept. It is so hard for me to accept an award of any kind. I had read someone else's blog where she writes that she doesn't accept awards because she may have to deal with pride and she writes for the glory of God. This caused me to think. Here's what I concluded after thinking about that and talking with another blogger about it: I may have pride issues somewhere, but I don't in the way of being awarded one of the blog awards. I don't think more of myself when I receive them. In fact, I'm usually quite surprised that someone thought that my work was good enough to deserve one. As I've stated before many times, I only started blogging as an outlet for me and didn't think, because I wasn't one of the "big time" bloggers, that anyone would even read mine. I feel even more humbled when I receive comments because that tells me that someone is actually stopping by reading. My thoughts, in the beginning were, "if someone reads my posts...fine, and if they don't...well, I was just doing this just to be doing it anyway." Now, though, I'm more conscious of what I write because I realize that people are reading.

All this to say, thanks big time, Linda, for thinking of this "little time" blogger!! Receiving it in no way puffs me up, but causes me to be abased. It causes me to glorify and exalt the Lord even the more, because He gives me any gifts or abilities I have or the mind that I have.

TO THE TUNE OF TEA TUESDAYS #25 It's virtual tea parties, and you're all invited!!

2008-08-19T00:04:00.014-04:00

(picture from www.xena-productions.com)

I am so excited because today we're having virtual tea parties, and you're all invited to sneak over to someone else's party, and see what they're doing, starting with mine. You might be blessed and find yourself invited to one or some of them! Here's the goal: on your blog, you answer a few questions or complete lead statements that I have here, submit some pictures if you'd like, link up back at my place (if I can figure that out tonight), and have yourselves a tea-sipping good time together! How does that sound? What we're doing is creating with words and/or pictures a virtual tea party. We'll discover, if you were to throw a party and invite your friends or even us, what your party would look like, what kind of taste you have, how unique (or not) your party would be, etc.

Okay, let's party tea lovers! Be very descriptive and inviting. Make us wish we were flies on the wall (oh wait! no flies at a tea party)! My answers will be below all of the questions.

For our Relax and Refresh themed party, you're to come in, sit down, and let my girls and I serve you. You're to feel welcome and like long-time friends the minute you walk in the door.

First, tell if you would have a casual tea party or something fancy?
Would yours be a fresh, springy one outdoors like the picture at the top, or would it be an inside fancy set-up like the one above?
I will use (fresh, artificial, or combination flowers)...
I will require my guests to dress...
Children are/are not invited...
I'm inviting (this many) people... (or, are we all invited?)
Would you send out invites, call by phone, or email?
My theme or goal for my party is...
I'm serving (this kind) of tea... and I'm using (loose leaf or bagged)...
I have decorated in this way...
I'm having (low tea or high), therefore the foods I'll serve will be...
I am/am not using edible flowers...
I will be serving other beverages, and they are...
Will you have a poetry reading or tea talk at your party?
I will use (casual, or oriental, or English, or other style) tea ware at my party...
I will give away...
My party will last...

And my answers are:

Mine would be a semi-fancy tea party

I think I'd like this first one to be an indoor party, so we can be in a more intimate, close, get-to-know-each-other type setting. I'd want it to be in my large library (if I had one:)

I will use fresh flowers and greenery, but subtle, not big bouquets or centerpieces. They will be sitting about, and you will notice them, but their beauty will be softspoken. I will have hydrangeas of all types in a couple of different colors and roses in cream.

I will require my guests to dress semi-dressy. Not too dressy, but no jeans, tank tops, etc. I want them to be comfortable, but appropriately dressed for a tea in the library.

Small children will not be invited to this one, but your tween and teenage girls are welcome.

This party, I'm inviting 8 very nice women that I know and am thinking about just now. They'll appreciate this kind of tea party. My next party will be open, and you're all invited!

I'm sending out invites, but I'm reminding the ladies via email. I want indoor, tea party themed, handmade invites in blue and cream, possibly with hydrangea and rose flowers on them. I will be using my fountain pen to hand address each one.

My theme will be Relax and Refresh, and my goal is to invite 8 women whom I know could use the break to come and allow my daughters and I to cater to them, while we join in the festivities also. I want them to feel special and appreciated. I want to show them the love of Christ. I also want the women to get to know each other better.

I'm serving three different types of tea, all loose leaf, and they are PG Tips (black), a lemon verbena and mint herbal tisane, and an imported Japanese green (Sencha Karigane).

I have decorated very lightly, but elegantly. Nothing stuffy or overdone. I want old books around, sparsely positioned antique pieces, a couple of vintage tea-ware sets placed strategically, different style chairs placed throughout the room, promoting comfort and good conversation, low tables placed near each chair with flowers on each and 3-tiered trays, medium lighting, and plenty of walking space around the room. I will have a service table in the back of the room with fresh cups, silverware, re-stock food items, and tea necessities like milk, raw sugar, honey, etc.

I am having low tea, therefore the foods I serve will be delicious, but simple and light. Lots of fresh fruit, 2 different kinds of scones with cream and jams/marmalades, sweet cookies and lemon tarts, 2 different kinds of finger sandwiches with fresh, homemade, thin bread, things of this sort.

I love edible flowers, therefore, I will use them on every tiered tray. I will use different kinds. I will definitely serve my candied rose petals, and would have made my homemade rose-petal- infused butter as another choice with the cream for scones.

I will be serving lemon verbena-infused, fresh-squeezed lemonade with lemon wedges floating in it.

At this particular party, I will not be having a poetry reading or tea talk. This one is just for women to specifically get to relax, get to know each other, share stories, and talk about life as a woman.

I will use a semi-fancy style English tea-ware set, but nothing too florally for this party. The green tea though, will be served in short, simple but elegant, handle-less cups when that tea is requested. They will be of really light egg-shell blue coloring so that it enhances the green tea's color.

I will give away vintage tea cups, wrapped in toule (or is it tulle), and a ribbon at the top. The ribbon will have a handmade tag, that resembles a miniature of the invite on the outside, but handwritten note inside saying, "Thank you for coming. You were a blessing to me. Tea Party 08/20/08" Inside the tea cups will be a homemade blended tea of their choice (herbal, black, or combo) that I blended fresh at home and put in cute little bags. They will get their gifts on the way out of the door.

My party will last until the last lady leaves. No time constraints today. It's all about you ladies!

Now, you don't have to make your answers as long as mine if you don't want to. Feel free to make them as long or short as you like, but remember, be descriptive. It's late here, so if I made any mistakes, charge it to the fact that I'm exhausted but well meaning.

Have a wonderful time visiting each other. I enjoyed giving my answers. Invite your blogging friends to check in on all of us and/or participate. The more the merrier!

The Simple Woman's Daybook (#1 for me)

2008-08-18T09:43:00.005-04:00

I'm so EXCITED to be joining this meme or circle!! I just love the whole concept. I won't go into detail here, because I want to get started with my daybook, and I want you to read mine and the others' that participated. You can go to http://www.thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/ and look for The Simple Woman's Daybook label or icon in the sidebar. Click on it, and it will give you all of the details. You will be so happy that you found this blog! This is Peggy's blog. She says she's simple, but her words, skills, and creativity, praise God, are profound! Go see for yourself. So now, on with my first daybook entry...

FOR TODAY (August 18, 2008)...

Outside My Window...is a dry, steeply slanted (upward), hill that only has sparsely populated grass patches here and there because of the tree canopy coverage. The tree brances are not allowing enough sunlight to filter through so that the grass can grow, but in its own way, this area is still beautiful. I have to walk up this hill to get to my mail box. I don't mind the exercise.

I am thinking...that I need to pray for my husband throughout the day today. He is concerned about our budget, but he knows that God will provide. I thank God for him.

I am thankful for...the provisions that God has already provided, the ones we have that are tangible, and the ones we can't see, but we trust in Him for.

From the kitchen...I can see where my son, whose turn it was to clean the kitchen last night, decided not to clean the counters and sweep the floor. I woke up to a not-so-tidy kitchen this morning. Wasn't thrilled, but he'll fix that problem after school.

I am wearing...black sweat pants and a white t-shirt with purple writing on it that says "Cut Out Domestic Violence." There is a picture of scissors on it and a family that the scissors are cutting through. I used to work at a Domestic Violence shelter. I'm also wearing my white, satin house slippers. So comfy, although they're so old.

I am creating...a daybook for my girls because I love this idea so much. We will call it The Simple Young Woman's Daybook and the starter statements (some of them) are a little different, plus I added 3 more, that were more relevant for teens and pre-teens or their "space" in the home. They're busy writing in their journals right now and finding picture thoughts to add. I think they're going to love this. Thanks for doing this Peggy!

I am going...to pay my son's cell phone bill today. Otherwise, I'm home with the girls (my two and the one I sometimes babysit) today. I love being home!

I am reading...excerpts from John Piper's Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood and Women of the Bible (I can't find my book just now to tell you the author's name). I'm using these two, in conjunction with the Word, to get ready to speak on Being Satisfied in Your Season of Singleness, to a group of Christian singles in Memphis, at a women's conference in November.

I am hoping...that God opens doors and provides for us to go on more mission's trips that are planned for this year...only if He wants us to join these teams and go and minister to the particular places we've thought about going.

I am hearing...God speak to me softly and consistently saying, "I am bigger than your needs, bills, problems, etc. I am God. I will provide for those things that I have promised."

Around the house...I'm looking at straightening and laundry that needs to be done. I will soon have a load going while I round out our homeschool day. The straightening and tidying my girls and I will do together.

One of my favorite things...today is getting some of the exciting things I wanted to start with my girls done. I'm excited about the new ventures we've embarked upon in homeschool today. I'm excited about what's to come. Thank you Jesus for ideas and creativity.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Remember to pick my son up from after-school "Raiders" practice on time each day he has it (my girls are homeschooled, and my son attends the local public school), finish all of the laundry, pray about the classes I'll be teaching outside of home and/or co-facilitating, continue to pray for my husband in specific ways, and wait for an answer from the principal of my son's school about teaming with a group of moms to come up to the school and do a prayer walk, once a week, around the school.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Here is a picture of "Hat Day" when my children attended a local Christian school. The lady on the left was my daughter's K-1st grade teacher, well, and I guess that means that's me on the right of your screen. I left this picture with you today for just a little fun, to introduce myself, to tell you that while this picture was about 4 1/2 years ago, her teacher and I are still good friends and like to clown around, and I hope our school year is as fun as the day we were having pictured here. You all have a great day too!! This daybook project was so much fun!

MOMMY (Caregiver/Mentor) MONDAYS #23

2008-08-18T08:16:00.004-04:00

Just wanted to check in before homeschool this morning, to encourage you homeschool parents and mentors to keep up the good work. We just started our homeschool back last week, and I feel like we're going to have a very productive year. This is despite the fact that I don't have quite everything that I need for a couple of subjects, but, we're making things work for now. We had a good start last week, and it's amazing how God will substitute or give you ideas for things to fill in the gaps when you don't have everything you "think" you need. Yes, He even cares about matters of our homeschool! Take everything that concerns you to Him; He cares!

This year, we're going Christian eclectic. When I first started homeschooling, I used one core curriculum for every subject, and that's the way it was going to be! That made things much easier to order, the kids knew what to expect and they were used to the flow of one curriculum, when you order in a bundle, it was cheaper most times, and I was pretty rigid, admittedly, (not on purpose) because I thought it was just better this way. Then, I realized that substituting this for that could be even cheaper, that my children had totally different learning styles that I NEEDED to cater to, that God allowed me to find some great supplements that didn't come from the curriculum I ordered, and that in some subjects, in some grades, I didn't have to have what the curriculum offered at all. I could practically do some subjects for FREE!! Thank God for the internet, imaginative thinking, and the library. Needless to say, I've changed over the years, and now, although I try to point everything we do and talk about towards Christ, I used a little bit of this and that to make that happen. I've been satisfied with this since then.

One of the new things I'm trying this year, with English, is the McGuffey Readers. If you don't know about them, they are a set of Prose and Poetry English books written and used about 170 years ago. Yes, that old. William Holmes McGuffey was an outstanding 19th century educator and preacher. He combined both these talents to create some of the longest-lasting and widely used textbooks of his time and ours. These books were used in multi-level, single classrooms with children of all ages, and they all learned and practice their English skills together. Yes, younger children can learn in the same class and environment as older, and the teacher can teach several ages together successfully. While a lot of times today mixing children of a certain age group with older ones isn't a good idea because of today's negative influences, it certainly worked well back then, and it can work well in the home. I use two different McGuffey readers for my girls, but they learn at the same time and the style of the stories and the set-up of the book is the same. In fact, they will trade books eventually.

The McGuffey readers combine reading, grammar skills, comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, and the proper pronunciation (and recognition of commonly misspelled words) of words all in one book. I loved it right away!! All of the stories in it are Christian-based or have a value, standard, or moral to teach. Okay so now you get your English skills and God's Word and/or great character building qualities at the same time?!! I love it even more. The girls are starting to like it too. Today, they have their first spelling/vocab (we do this at the same time from the same words) test. This should go pretty smoothly because of the way we study them and how they've heard the words many times, in context, in the story itself. How much easier and interesting could McGuffey have made it?! Can you tell that I'm a great fan of these books? I'd like to get every one in the series. So far, I only have 3, but they were all the ones I needed for this year. I'll keep looking for the rest.

Won't you pray to the Lord to teach your children through you? Won't you join me in prayer for our homeschooled kids, that God just loves on them, teaches them, instructs them in His way, keeps them moving according to His plans for them, opens their minds, that they might absorb His wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, that they might love Him more every day, that they might take their gifts and talents and use them for the glory of God, that they might have the most successful school year ever? Commit your children and your homeschooling to Him that made them. He can do a much better job than we can. Pray that He teaches and instructs us, as we go, in His way also. Submit to Him, that we might be vessels that He uses to see His precious children to where He has designed and instructed them to go. Pray that we're a help and not a hindrance to our children's growth.

Here's praying for all of you out there who are mentoring and loving on someone else's child, homeschooling your own, have a child in public or private school (I have one there, and I have committed to not only helping him too, academically, but I pray for him in his school everyday, and soon, I will be praying at his school for the school itself, its children, and the faculty), or doing a little bit of all of these. I even pray for you supporters of your ones off to college. I have one of those too. We have one literally in every stage right now, college, high school, middle school, and elementary. Isn't that fascinating?!! But it is challenging as well. I wouldn't have it any other way!!

Have a blessed day in Jesus!!

SATURDAY SHOPPING, SAVING, AND STUFF #14

2008-08-16T19:18:00.006-04:00

It's that time again, time for me to let you in on what you can save on in the month of August. You do like to save, don't you? That savings and financial expert Ellie Kay suggests you purchase the following in the month of August, and you can save big. She should know. It's her job to sniff out proven savings routinely, and share with others. So where can you save a buck or two?

This month, buy your...

bathing suits

fresh vegetables

kids' clothing

new cars

patio and lawn furniture

pens, pencils, paper

rugs

summer footwear

towels and linens

swing sets

toys

...and you should be be able to put back a few coins in the old piggy bank.

Okay, I've got to go back to making up a story that uses the words from the list above. It's usually just a made-up story about savings that I like to entertain (I mean bore) you with. I didn't do it the last couple of savings posts (you're probably glad), but I thought I'd do it again. At least, I enjoy it. So let me get my entertainment on, will ya?!! Okay, so here it goes:

As I was sweeping my new rugs, purchased at rock bottom prices from a local dealer, I noticed that I needed to throw my linens and towels in the wash. Oh, I must tell ya, they're my new towels from one of the department stores in the mall. But I've got to admit, I didn't even pay half for them. I was so proud of myself! Mean time, in come the girls in their bathing suits and summer footwear from the local, super discount store, and they were dripping all over my new rugs! I immediately sent them to put on one of their new kids' clothing items that I had purchased, on sale too, mind you, from the same discount store as the bathing suits.

Once my chores were done, I asked the girls if they wanted to accompany me to the local produce market (in our new car that we saved $5000.00 on, I don't mind telling you, because we waited for the right time and asked a lot of questions) to buy fresh vegetables. The farmer at the market was supposed to be getting ready to discount everything and sell all in preparation to close the market down for the rest of the year. We were excited! On our way to the market though, we got sidetracked. Out in front of the super discount store, there was a gentleman holding a sign letting passersby know that the store had a clearance in the toys section of the store. This included swing sets among other forms of entertainment for kids. I got to thinking, I could purchase gifts ahead of time and put them in my gift closet at home. We could even buy a swing set for the girls, set it up, and let them enjoy the rest of the summer at home.

After so much shopping, we were tired, as you can imagine. We even picked up things while out, that were on our "to get" list that we almost forgot about, like more back-to school stuff. What was I thinking?!! We needed that stuff! School was about to start. How could I have forgotten?! We got home and I couldn't make it into the house, so I just plopped down on the patio furniture that my sweet husband had just put together. He was proud of himself for the deal he got on it and I was happy to see it welcoming me to take a rest on it.

Well, for the rest of you who had a less busy day, happy shopping!!!

FRIDAY FUN DAY WITH 40 WORDS OR LESS PC

2008-08-15T16:17:00.009-04:00

Oooh Robin, you snake handler. I never knew!! Just kidding, but Robin over at http://www.pensieve.typepad.com/ is playing around again. This time with snakes. Okay, she's really not a snake handler and probably not a snake lover, but she's holding two harmless snakes that are pets of a friend of hers, so, she decided to submit a photo of her and "them" for this week's 40 words or less photo challenge. Me...,I never would have thought to want to do this and then have someone take a picture. While I'm not afraid of snakes, I don't want to play with them either. Seeing them in nature (slithering AWAY from me) and behind the glass at the zoo is enough for me. Go over to Robin's place to get the official rules if you want to play along, or if you just want to read others' submissions. Mine is below the picture. Thanks for stopping by.

I may be woman, but you're not fooling me.
My name's not Eve, and I've got your number.
Mary is more my character, by the grace of God.

Look, He has you wrapped around His fingers.
Who's your Daddy boys!!

NEW ORLEANS MISSION'S TRIP SUMMARY-God is so good!

2008-08-15T08:39:00.004-04:00

As promised, I am using this post to tell you about what God did during our Missions trip to New Orleans (NO), specifically Vieux Carre or the French Quarter. I'm am still reeling from His goodness, protection, and grace to us before we got to NO, during the trip down, while we were there, and on our return home. God is truly amazing. But He makes provisions and preparation and all else that you'll need to see His agenda through. That's just what He did for us.

I'd like to give you just a little background history on the general make-up and the religious make-up of the city. NO is an old city, with many areas being registered on the national historic registry for landmarks and architecture. Settlement was initially discouraged because of flooding based on how the city is situated on a major river (its low level--in fact, the city's elevation is 0 feet) and because of so many swampy areas. The French sent in inmates from to fill in the marshes and build levees for settlement and access. The ancestral population was a make-up of French, French-Canadian, Spanish (the city is heavily Spaniard and French influenced), Africans, and Native Americans. Today, there is a population that has a mixture of these ethnic backgrounds and newer ethnicities that moved in later. The population today, according to one study, looks like this:

CityPopulation 2005: 437,186 Square miles: 180.56 Metro area: New Orleans
67% of the city's population is African American with various other races making up the rest of the population, including stats from the last census reporting a 5% German and 5% Irish population. At the time of the 2000 census, the per capita income in New Orleans was $17,258, compared with $21,587 nationally. It is a lot higher now, reporting somewhere between $24,000 and $27,000. But there are conflicting reports. What is known is that the majority of its citizens aren't the most well-off or even comfortable in the nation.

As far as the religious make-up of the city, according to a year 2000 report, Denominational Groups, 2000, there were:
39,543 (Evangelical Protestant)
23,545 (Mainline Protestant)
920 (Orthodox)
136,377 (Catholic)
13,510 (Other)
270,779 (Unclaimed)

Here's the catch: The unclaimed are not irreligious or atheists necessarily. There are unclaimed religious and denomination groups, mainly the black Baptist church, who are just not reported. There are other historically black denominations too, that are not counted in this report. It doesn't say why. The Black Baptist church has more members and more churches in the city of NO than any other religion or denomination represented there. In fact, the two main religions/denominations is the Catholic faith and the black Baptists. It is obvious everywhere you go. If you look around NO carefully, you can even see how, over the centuries, religions/denominations have blended. Some of the religious customs are so unique, they could be sub or mini denominations unto themselves. They have ways of worshipping and practicing their religion in NO that is found in no other city in the US. From a report I got while there, you're liable to run into someone whose family members were predominately Catholic, they just happen to be Baptist, and their African heritage may have passed on occult rituals or voodoo, and they practice a little of all of these together, maybe not always consciously, but the evidence is there and is clear.

Most of what you've heard about NO is true. It is beautiful, it is historic, it has great restaurants and great food, it's diverse, it was almost devastated by Katrina (though there is a lot of re-building) and spiritually, in a lot of areas, it is one of the darkest places in the world, just to name a few things about the city. Here's where our missions trip comes into play. We weren't there for a tour, a mini vacation, or to eat the great food (although this wouldn't hurt). We had been called to NO to take the Gospel and the love of Christ to a lost and dying world.

Like anywhere, if man exists, and you can name a sin, NO has done it, is doing it, and doesn't plan on stopping. The difference for NO is, it's a lot of sin concentrated in one small dot on the map (compared to our whole nation), it's done blatantly out in the open, and it goes on day and night, in season and out. There is no shame or regard for public decency. Some of the people have become so calloused to the sin, you can see that some don't even know that they're sinning. It is just normal and automatic. Some don't care. Some do, but just don't know how to get out of the trap, but these are a small percentage compared to the ones who don't care. With all of the represented churches reported in a city the size of NO, it seems that, as one person put it, this is the city that God forgot about and they're having to figure things out on their own, make things up as they go, entertain themselves, and fend for themselves.

While it is obvious that God hasn't forgotten about NO, like anywhere else sin abounds, God is not pleased with what is going on there so blatantly and disrespectfully. Let us not get proud though, because we're so far from this. Sin is sin anywhere, and God hates it, and will not tolerate it, especially perpetual seasons of sin with no repentance in sight. This city appears to have been turned over to reprobate minds...BUT GOD...!! In comes the various missions teams who have been called by God to remind some and tell others that Jesus is real, alive, and well, and He would have it that no man would perish. In comes the teams who want to share the hope of Christ and eternity with the lost. All we can do is obey His leading us there, and plant seeds or water where we or someone else has been before. The rest is up to God. We were glad to be called and glad to go!! Oooo, thank You Jesus for the opportunity!!

Our team member was ready to witness on the street as soon as we got there, she was so excited! It was late though, the team was tired, and if we were to be effective for the next day's agenda, we needed snacks, devotion, and rest. Imagine some of our surprise (those of us who were there for the first time) when the church that extended hospitality, information, and sleeping quarters to us was situated right in the thick of things, all of the action, in the heart of the French Quarter, right where the non-stop partying and non-stop drinking was going on. In fact, the church is in a row of houses, and the house or building connected to the church, directly on the right is a nightclub. And trust me, they party loudly all night long. We could hear them through the walls. Now you know this means that there is some serious ministering that can go on in a place like this! The dormitory we slept in was on the bottom level of the church. At this point, you can't ask yourself if you're ready for action. In this location, you don't have a choice. The only thing you ask from God is protection, boldness, guts, and covering because you know you're about to embark on something you're not used to, and you may see and hear just about anything. (Remember now though, you've been called to do this)

The next day, we hit the streets of Vieux Carre'. I've seen alcohol, I've seen people drunk, I've seen party animals, I'm aware that people who worship the enemy exist, I've seen a lot, but...not all in one small location and at the same time, all day, every day. I don't know whether it's legal or not, but it is common to see drunk people on the streets very early in the morning, with open bottles and cups of beer and alcohol, it is common to see people dancing on top of tables with the doors to the bars flung wide open for everyone to see in the middle of the day, it is common to see voodoo and occult shops, it is common to see people walking casually in and out of drug paraphenalia shops with their goods, it is common to see the homeless mingling in with people who own French Quarter hotels, it is common to see people walk the streets and sidewalks all day and all night, it is common to walk pass or even talk to the demon-possessed, etc. The list of things to see, again in this one rectangular-shaped quarter, can go on and on, but you see these things all day, every day, at the same time. I can't stress that enough.

When you look around you realize that there are no children (in the quarter, that is), even though the quarter has residential streets and rows. In 3 days, we only saw approximately 9 children total, and 3 of them were a Christian family that brought their children to church Sunday morning before we left. This means that we only saw 6 on the street, and they were children of tourists. The question is, with all that's there (and you had to know this before you decided to vacation in NO), why would you bring your children to vacation here? One of the reasons why you don't see children is because...THIS IS NO PLACE TO BRING A CHILD! Ours went with us to do a missions trip as a family and to minister, but let me tell you, we knew what to expect before hand, and we prayed God's protection on our children's ears and eyes, and God did just that. We came to allow Him to expose our children to a different kind of mission field, to make sure they understood that they were no better than anyone else (but for the grace of God go we), to deal with people unlike themselves, to give to others, to squelch any selfishness that might reside in their hearts, and to show the love of Christ and that that could be done, even though they were just kids.

God is in control though, everywhere, including NO. We had packed so many supplies that He enabled us to gather before leaving for NO, that He knew we would need to witness and to aid. This means that we were able to give out Gospel tracts, pamphlets, booklets, goodie bags to ones who needed it that contained toiletries and the Word. In the quarter, we talked with people on the street, from tourists to the homeless and everybody in between, we prayed with them on the streets and corners, we answered questions, we prayed with people who were sitting waiting on the police, who had just been in a car accident and seemed scared, we touched every life we could. We asked God for the hearts to be no respector of persons; in our minds, if you don't already know Him, you need Him, plain and simple. God gave us the hearts and compassion to not care what people looked like, or not care about what their professions were, if they had one at all. EVERYBODY NEEDS JESUS AND THE LOVE OF HIM. We also realized in our giving that some people need physical needs met before you can reach them with the Gospel. It's hard to hear if your feet hurt, you're hungry, and you haven't gotten much rest. Think about the things that Jesus and His disciples did.

Friday evening, we did what's called a cafe'. This is where we set up tables in the church with food (to include coffee and Kool-Aid) we had prepared, goodie bags, Gospel tracts, chocolate treats, nice polo shirts that God provided for the homeless through someone from our hometown, New Balance tennis shoes (really nice ones too), flip flops, and whatever else we had to give away. We open the doors of the church, allow anybody who would come in off the street (we had also passed out papers earlier to the homeless, letting them know where to come and to spread the news in their community), and we have a small talk about who Jesus is and His hope and glory. After we shared the Good News and extended an invitation to accept Him as Lord and Savior, 4 people in our little crowd were saved!! Praise the Lord Almighty!! The Heavens rejoiced! Four more for God's Kingdom. Four more snatched out of the grips of satan and eternal damnation!! With that done and prayer for them, we started giving out the goods. You would have thought that we had sent some to the candy store and some to the mall!! People were getting clothes they needed, every pair of tennis shoes we brought (and this was an act of God alone!) were the exact right size for the exact amount of people who needed them! Some changed into their new clothes right there at the church. We saw different people emerge out of the rest rooms. Their whole personalities changed when they were fresher with nice clothes on. They left their dirty clothes behind because God has given Vieux Carre Baptist Church the ability to be a mission also, and the pastor and his wife wash the homeless' clothes so that they can return to get fresh ones the next week. They also allow showers and other things on Mondays.

Two of the homeless men had been blessed of God to have the gift of singing, drums, and keyboard playing, so they blessed us tremendously that night with praise and worship time. Boy could those men play and sing!! Oh, I pray that God lifts them out of their situations so that they can be used of the Lord mightily!

The next day (Saturday), we visited a local homeless mission and gave out more food and supplies. These were the most gracious and humble people. The homeless in NO surprised me. Our homeless population here at home and where I'm originally from are just...different. This culture of homeless people are very friendly, are very giving to each other, don't seem to have problems stealing from each other, will not take more than they absolutely need (and will tell you to save what you have for someone else who might need it; they didn't want to be too greedy), and are very appreciative of what you do for and give to them. I've never witnessed this in general throughout a homeless population before, and I've worked extensively through the years with the homeless. I reiterate, God has not forgotten about these people, and it is evident in so many ways, while on the surface, it may appear to some that He has.

Saturday evening, I parted from the team to minister to some very tired girls, and my husband decided to stay back with me. I decided to go back to the church and get dinner ready for the team when they returned. I also was given the privilege to help the pastor and his wife get some necessary things done around the church, the dorm, and the mission. They really appreciate the help when they can get it. They usually work very hard, although they have some help from a couple of church members throughout the week.

While I stayed back, the team went to what was called The Wall. This is where the homeless hang out, eat, and sleep, mainly at night. During the day, they are usually throughout the city, doing other things. The team brought back such great praise reports from The Wall. They fed the homeless there, they gave out any supplies we had left, they talked with and mingled with them for a long time, they prayed with them, and just got to know people. We really did try and forge relationships with various people for two reasons: we hope that we will see them again, and good things happen out of intentional relationship building. Everyone needs the love, care, and concern of a good relationship. It's modeling our relationship with Christ, after all.

Saturday night, I was looking for my husband, thinking that he was in his dorm room, getting ready for bed. Instead, I found him, around 12:30 or 1:00 in the morning still in ministry mode. God gave him and our team leader the opportunity to witness to, of all people and of all places, the people (or partyers) who were coming in and out of the club right next door to the church. What a crack up!! But what a wonderful, fruitful opportunity! I look out of the church doors (you can see good here at night because the city never sleeps) and down the sidewalk, and he is just intensely engaging a slightly drunk man and his friend about the truths of Christ and how Jesus was real. The team leader was engaging one of the men's wife and her friends who had come to the square and the clubs to party hard. I decided, if I can't get my husband into bed, I might as well join them. I went down too, and the enemy tried to keep us from witnessing in several different ways, but it didn't work. God WAS STILL IN CONTROL!! Isn't that just like Him? Anyway, by the end of this lengthy conversation, and while these people were holding their alcohol, they allowed us to pray for them before they entered the club, give them tracts, and one guy even asked my husband to email him to finish their conversation and handed him his email address. Could God have planted a seed there? Who knows, but we're going to definitely follow up. How exciting!!

The next day, of course, was Sunday. We woke up, had our morning devotions like we did together as a team every day and evening we were in NO, had breakfast, and joined the pastor and his wife for a really unique church service. Everybody is welcome and will show up at this church. Because of its love, outreach, and location, you may sit by a prostitute on one side and a missionary who graduated from the local seminary on the other. The group was the epitome of diverse, and I for one, loved it!! The pastor was clear in his teaching, not too lofty, but not talking down to any one. Everyone could understand and appreciate his presentation. He has a real passion and love for people. So does his whole family. God has truly blessed them, and we were blessed to get to know them and work with them. I ended up speaking to and watching the antics of a gay couple (one was representing the female part of the relationship and beautifully dressed, I might add) that showed up outside of the church once service was over. They weren't quite ready to step through the doors, but they lingered around outside for a while, while people were coming in and out. Could God have been tugging on their heart strings? Were they just curious? It didn't matter. The truth was being proclaimed in this place, and the Word is alive and well. ANY exposure to it can, has, and will change lives. Thank You Jesus for the privilege of meeting any and everybody and the boldness to love on them and give the unadulterated Gospel!!

I will finally end this post by saying that God is in the transformation and restoration business. Just surrender your WHOLE self to His will and ask Him to send you where He pleases and then be willing to go. We knew upon coming to the city, about the make up of the city, etc. We could even physically feel the oppression coming into the city, when part of our team ran directly into a satan worshiper who warned our team to back off and didn't hide the fact of whom he worshipped, in front of certain buildings, and upon leaving the city. the oppression is real and sad, BUT, I personally felt the possibility of hope, somehow I could see rays of sunshine, God allowed my heart not to fret and fear, Christ reaches even the darkest places, and I sensed that the whole time. If God were to ever send me again, I would go. He proved Himself to me before, during, and after this trip. God is God, and He is God all of the time. He doesn't want us to own the spirit of timidity and fear. Though we're not all called to the same places to minister the same way, with the same gifts, we're all called, and we're called not to have those things I just mentioned. Turn them over to Jesus. You will never be able to minister everywhere that you should to the degree that you should with timidity and fear. They are hindrances and used by the enemy to TRY and thwart God's agenda. While they can't eradicate God's agenda, we can place ourselves as hindrances, and then God will have to use someone else. We'd miss out on all He has for us and the other persons we're sent to. We're also not pleasing Him.

If you read all of the way to the end of this post, bless you!! I couldn't stop writing once I started, and I just loved what I was sent to do so much. I don't have time to go back and correct typos or other mistakes (I apologize), so gather the meanings from context clues. I'm sure I was at least clear enough for you to do that. I thank God for your interest in reading this. Pray for us as we follow Christ.

Side note: I wanted to have pictures from the trip by now, to post so that you can see us in action and the area we were called to, but the team leader didn't get a chance, with her really busy schedule, to have them developed yet. I will post them with descriptions underneath when I get a chance.

Love Jesus, love somebody else too!

The Simple Woman's Writing Post--In Circles

2008-08-14T14:44:00.005-04:00

If you're looking for my TT list, scroll down one post. It's there, so don't go away. This post is about the title mentioned above.

I'm so excited!! I've been reading over at http://www.thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/ for a while (Peggy's place), and when I go there, I just want to read and absorb forever, but, I never paid attention to her newest endeavor, something I love very much.

Those of you who know me know that I love lost artforms like writing letters and notes longhand, sending letters via snail mail instead of email (I do email, but only because people wouldn't write me back if I mailed snail mail, and it's quicker, and it's how EVERYONE seems to communicate these days, etc.), sewing, using a quill pen on pretty paper, etc. Well, Peggy has come up with this great idea--The Simple Woman's Writing Post for all of those who...well, let me let Peggy herself ask you:

Do you enjoy keeping the lost arts?Do you enjoy getting mail that is special?Do you enjoy using pretty papers and pens?Do you enjoy using the "art of the long hand"?Do you enjoy meeting other women?Do you remember the "round robin" letters from girlfriends?Do you enjoy finding that "just right" card to put in the mailbox?If you answered yes to any of the above questions you may enjoy the *new* "Simple Woman's Writing Post"...I am planning on creating a network of sorts where women can mail pretty letters or cards to another.

Now ladies (sorry if there are any guys reading), you must know how totally excited I got when I read her post and invitation to join. My creative juices started to flow and I can just picture myself taking part in something that I have loved and longed for, for so long. Peggy, what a wonderful idea!! I still write letters to people long hand (ones who appreciate it), I send notecards and thank you notes whenever I get a chance and it's appropriate, I like meeting other like-minded, creative, and joyful women, and I love getting mail in the mailbox. Who doesn't?!! This project was right up my alley!!

Well, don't let me be the only one to enjoy this. If you're interested, click on Peggy's link above and sign up. The deadline is Sunday, Aug. 17th, so hurry!! I hope you get to read my post before then. Peggy has listed all of the guidelines, etc. on her blog as well. Read very carefully, so you'll know what to do.

Let's bring back those wonderful, beautiful lost artforms together and enjoy them once again...or for the first time for some of you! Blessings!!

THANKFUL THURSDAY

2008-08-14T11:15:00.005-04:00

Is there not always something to be thankful for? Iris at Sting My Heart (http://www.eph2810.com/) discusses how she is thankful for the ministries that God has called us to. Specifically she sites one that is close to her heart--Harvest Ministry with Greg Laurie.

Think about it, some of us would not have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ without someone's obedience to be called to head or found a ministry. With that ministry, they spread the Gospel, our hearts were tender toward it, and we accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. That's not the only thing ministries do. Some ministries specialize in giving provisions for people who wouldn't otherwise have them, some feed the homeless, some house people, and the list can go on and on. Thank God for ministries and the people who love Jesus in them.

Did you know that we're all called to do missions work of some sort? No, I'm not saying that we're all called to the domestic and foreign mission field. I'm saying that the mission field you've been called to could be right at your job in the office, your backyard, your neighborhood, your child's school, etc. There is work to be done for the Lord. We are so privileged to be called to join Him in His work. We're all called to shine our lights, have the aroma of Christ, and be loving and giving, whether we're giving of our time, resources, money, or whatever. You can share Christ in many ways, and there are opportunities, probably more often than we realize or recognize. We're not called to do it all, but we are called to do what God has assigned us. Listen to His voice and His leading. He will be glorified, someone will be blessed, and you will be rewarded. Now, on to what I'm thankful for today and everyday.

I'm thankful for the ministries that God has called my husband and I to: Christ-Life Community Church (our church in our home twice a month), WiSeSHILD (Wives Serving and Supporting Husbands in Leadership and Development), co-fascilitator of a woman's study on Biblica Womanhood, and starting a new group on women in the Bible. To God be the glory for the call to these groups and any success from them.
I'm thankful for the ministry back in Hawaii that explained (better than I had had explained growing up in my church back home) the Gospel to me clearly and that I could have a real, personal relationship with Christ. My life hasn't been the same since, thank God.
I'm thankful for any future ministries that God would call me, my husband, and/or the children to. "Here I am Lord, send me."
I'm thankful for the ministry of homeschool. I love the responsibility of teaching my girls.
I thank God for the new Homeschool Assoc. (name: Hearts Toward Home Christian Educators) and Co-op that our family and two others (possibly a 4th one coming soon) were blessed to form. This is a ministry to our children and whole family. We are so grateful.
Finally for today, I thank God for the ministry of our outside-of-the-home church. We attend, most times, twice a month (sometimes more for special circumstances), and we love where God has called us to worship right now. We have grown a lot there as a family in Jesus. We thank God for all of those who give of themselves for the church's growth.

I'm off so that I can wrap up homeschool for the day. I'd like to go over and read some others' blogs for this Thankful Thursday. I love hearing about grateful hearts.

TO THE TUNE OF TEA TUESDAYS #24

2008-08-12T12:23:00.008-04:00

JUST A LITTLE ABOUT FLAVORED TEAS

I'm not a huge fan of flavored teas. I guess you could say among tea sippers, I'm a purist. I don't mind a high quality flavored tea every now and then though, as long as the flavoring is not overbearing and I can still taste the quality of the base tea. I know people who love flavored teas though, just because they don't think there is much flavor to be appreciated in the base tea. To each his own, right? If I drink flavored teas, I prefer the flavoring to be natural, like the flavor that comes from rough-cut dried fruit and/or herbs. I want to know that the dried fruit or herbs is of the highest quality and there is so much of it per bag. There are some cheaply made and low quality products out there guys, and you will know the difference.

Linda Osborne who wrote the All About Tea Knowledge Cards says "Although Lu Yu wrote in his eighth-century tea classic Ch'a (the Chinese word for tea) Ching that adding other plants to tea--he mentioned onion, ginger, and orange peel (onion? Yuckarooney as far as I'm concerned)--turned the resulting drink into gutter swill (gutter swill--who says that anymore? I kinda like the words though--kind of archaic but funny), flavored teas have been popular at least since his time."

"Today, in the West, Earl Grey is perhaps the best-known flavored tea: to make it, oil of bergamot, pressed from a small, Chinese citrus fruit, is added to black tea. The recipe is said to have been given to Charles Grey, a British earl, by a Chinese friend, but Earl Grey tea is rarely drunk in China. Imperial Russian tea is similarly scented. Flower teas include rose tea, in which petals are mixed with black tea before the final drying period; jasmine tea, a mixture of green tea and jasmine flowers; and chrysanthemum tea, made with pu-erh-style (I have a tea post on this type of tea) black tea or from dried chrysanthemum petals infused by themselves. Lychee and lotus are other common flavorings."

What's your favorite flavored tea? Do you even like flavored tea? Where do you purchase your flavored tea? Is it loose or bagged? How do you prepare it and what, if anything, do you like to add to it to enhance the flavor all the more? Post about it or leave your comments here. I'd like for you to post about it though, if you would, so that we all have a chance to visit each other's blog. If you don't have a blog, again, just leave me a comment. The readers do read the comments and we'll all still see your answer. Thanks for participating if you do.

Today's tea sipping experience in my house includes a rare moment where I'm enjoying a bagged tea. It is Celestial Seasonings India Spice Chai. I used lactose-free milk to mix with it and sugar. Mmmm good!! What did you have today? If you participate in TTOTT, let's leave our tea experience for the day for others to read about and perhaps desire to try.

WE'RE BACK! and MOMMY MONDAYS at the same time

2008-08-11T12:30:00.008-04:00

IMAGES OF VIEUX CARRE (THE FRENCH QUARTER)

(Courtesy of neworleansonline.com)

We're back, and to say the least, we're so pleased that God chose us to go and allowed us to join Him in His work!! I will be doing a separate post this week, telling you about our experiences on this trip, but I'll say this much, we need to and must obey the Matthew command in 28:19 and believe the promise of v.20. If you do it, God will be glorified, He will add more to the Kingdom, and you will experience His promises. As beautiful as the above pictures are, they don't reflect at all the nastiness and filthiness of the sin and spiritual darkness that permeates this city. Let me just say though, that having gone to New Orleans, I'm convinced still, that every city's sin is nasty and filthy, and EVERYBODY NEEDS JESUS and needs to be touched by someone that just loves souls...bottom line!! There is work to be done there but here also. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. That will link us to my "MOMMY MONDAY" post below, discussing my children's experience on this mission trip. I wish I had the pictures ready!

We took our three children, two girls and one of our sons, on our trip, as I may have already expressed in another post. God met with our children in this place! Thanks be to God that our children are saved by grace through faith and that they have a heart for all people. Thanks be to God that they had, at some point, started to grow a heart for missions. This trip grew a heart for missions all the more, and so far, my boy sees himself going on missions trip after missions trip. They all grew spiritually while here. Nothing that they loved about people and serving changed, it simply grew largely. Thank you Jesus!

We arrived in New Orleans late, the drive was long, and the children were hungry, but because of their excitement and the knowledge of the goal of the trip, they immediately hopped out of the vans we drove and unloaded all of the food, supplies, and other provisions we brought for ourselves and the disadvantaged of Vieux Carre' and the surrounding area. We had the vans loaded down too, so this was not a quick task. We're off to a good start.

We just prayed continuously while in NO (New Orleans) for the team, the city and it's people, and the power and protection of the children. God answered. Save for a couple of run-ins and images of what typically goes on among the people (satan worshipers on the street and homosexual activity), the children's eyes and character were protected from what was really actively going on outwardly and definitely behind the scenes all of the time. They could have run in to a lot worse, but God was in control, and we knew it. Now don't get me wrong, because of God's hand on my children's life, the training they've gotten, and lots of powerful prayer, we didn't intend on hiding them from the environment or the people of Vieux Carre at all (or they never would have accompanied us on the trip in the first place), but you must use wisdom and discernment (and keep praying and covering your children) on where they can go and how far they can go while there. Because of the power of the blood of Jesus, the children were not afraid or hindered. They weren't even outwardly shocked. We had made it a point to remind them of what they may see and hear the whole time, and I feel like they were well prepared. This was the actual outward proof of God's protection and covering, I believe. In the natural, it was unbelievable.

The children walked the streets with us and prayed, gave out tracts, goodie bags with toiletries and witness materials, booklets (to anyone from the tourist to the homeless), and just generally talked to people with cheer. This all happened in the Vieux Carre' area. At the church, which is right in the heart of the French Quarter (imagine that! perfect location though!), we had what's called a cafe. It's where we go upstairs to the church's kitchen to cook, and we bring the food back down to the sanctuary-now-converted-to-a-cafe-giveaway-area-for-whosoever-may-come. We place the food on one table and we have giveaways on another table next to it, with chairs facing the table like they would be for church. We open the doors to the people on the street (tourist, homosexuals, homeless, druggies, alcoholics, families, pagans, etc.--you name it, NO has it, but bigger and 'badder' or more concentrated in a smaller area). They come in and sit. We have a short talk about Christ and everyone's need for Him, hope, etc., and we end it with a genuine "we love you, and you are not forgotten." After this, we all ate together. Oh yeah, back to where the children fit in to all this. The children helped clean the sanctuary for preparation, prepare the food after it was cooked, set the tables with food and giveaways, my son literally waited on people hand and foot (he wasn't afraid to smile and shake hands, place food in the hands of, and help find shoes of all sorts for people who desperately needed them). At the end of the service, we had praise and worship time in music, and my son just clapped and sang. If you could have seen how genuine his smile was and his joy for what he had done for Jesus and others! I'm thanking God for the children's testimony!! As a mother, I am filled with joy!

While we went out among the people, seeking to plant seeds or water somewhere out in the city everyday that we were there, in the middle of one of the days, I needed to stay back and minister to my girls and my husband and cook dinner for the team, so my son and the rest of the team went to what's called The Wall. It is where the chronically homeless hang out, literally up against a big concrete wall, not far off from all of the activity of the city. Big things and lots of eating were going on all around these people, but in a way, they could not participate or take advantage of all of this. Yes, they could walk among the people and the shops, but they had no money to buy anything, and they certainly couldn't eat of the fare of the fine restaurants that NO has to offer. And there are MANY, folks. As you may already know, this place is reknowned for food, uniqueness, history, and it's unique residents. My son came back from The Wall with great praise reports. The team even told me of his boldness to walk up to people, pray with them individually, talk to them like they were human beings (duh!), give out nice shirts to some and flip-flops, feed, and just generally hang out with. My son is only 15 years old, but from all reports he became a leader. Thank you Wonderful Savior!! Jesus did it all!! All Glory and honor to God!

The last day, we had regular (although the service in Vieux Carre can be anything but normal--it's so unique) Sunday service. The attendees or the congregation make up--missionaries, students, homeless, alcoholics...pretty much everything I named above. We all worshipped together. Wow! What a concept (I'm being a little sarcastic)! Which one of us would do that on a regular basis or feel comfortable with the local prostitute (and definitely looking like one) sitting next to them in church, looking for comfort, acceptance, something to fill the void and hole in her heart? My children did, and I didn't notice any recoiling. Our children were taught to be cautious and careful walking around the building and outside with homeless men and very possibly pedophiles milling about, but as long as they took our cautions and safety measures seriously, and because the Lord was surely in control, all was well. We painted, beforehand, the worst case scenario for our children and reminded them of things to remember daily, and still, they were undeterred. Thank You Jesus for Your awesome testimony in our children! I can't stop thanking You enough. You caused your agenda to go forward unhindered by the enemy. You are in control because...YOU ARE GOD!! Glory to your name!

I want to end this post encouraging you as parents and mentors to just give all opportunities for your children and/or charges to do the work of Christ. Encourage them in missions and to be missions-minded, locally and foreign. Direct them to opportunities in giving. Show them the plight of other people, but that literally EVERYBODY needs Jesus, no matter who they are and where they live. Share the knowledge with them that (if they're saved) at one time, someone shared Christ with them, gave them a hope, and helped snatch their souls from the grips of eternal hell; they should grow a love and concern to do the same. Tell them that but for the grace of God, anybody we serve who is disadvantaged could be us and can be if we stray away from Christ, or if for whatever reason, He decides to withhold something from us or allow something to happen, ultimately for His glory and our good. Remember, His thoughts and intentions are higher than ours. Continue, in general, to admonish them toward righteousness and love the things and people that God does. Remind them to think on the things that they've learned during their experiences and to not forget them when they come home and get back to their own corners of the world.

Pray for us, as we teach our children as they rise, and go about their day, and lie down. Pray that God keeps His mighty merciful hands on them and that He increases their hearts and affections toward Him and things that He is concerned about. Pray for their strength to keep pressing on in the face of the world and the enemy. Pray for us as parents that we keep our eyes on Him also and stay in His Word, doing what is right and pleasing to Him with ourselves and His children that He has given us charge of and as gifts.

We're grateful for the awesome opportunity that God presented in going to NO. Pray for us as we decide if God wants us to go back in the fall for a Thanksgiving celebration in the Quarter for anybody that will come. Ours, of course, will be a true Thanksgiving and God-focused theme while offering good food,...while all around us will be parties celebrating in a whole other way, I'm sure. We want to offer the better alternative.

Ask God for an opportunity to be a blessing to somebody. Post a comment here and tell us about it, if He has already extended an opportunity for you to do that today or some time this week. I'm anxious to hear what God has done in your life. May you and yours be blessed today.

BE STILL SUNDAYS

2008-08-10T07:31:00.001-04:00

THANKFUL THURSDAY

2008-08-07T07:33:00.001-04:00

I am off this morning my friends, to the missions trip in New Orleans, where we will be working with a church there and working together in a neighborhood. Pray for us, if you're so compelled, while we're there (Peculiar's family--God knows who we are). Pray that God's light is a blinding force that the people can't help but be drawn to. Pray that we're abased while God is exalted. Pray that His plan and His will be done.

I won't be here to know what Iris' theme will be for TT, so I will just be thankful in general. There is always so much to be grateful for.

I am grateful that God chose my family and I to join Him in His work to witness to and love on others, whether it's in New Orleans or anywhere else on earth.
I am thankful that He has given me the gift of service, giving, and the boldness to tell others about Him.
I am thankful that His Spirit in me has compelled me to use those gifts for His glory and someone else's good, and not for selfish gain or pride.
I am thankful that God has given my children a heart for missions
I am thankful that Iris has given us an outlet or forum on which to express our thanks to a good and gracious God.

I pray that the rest of your week goes well. We will be returning Sunday, so pray for safe travels to LA and back home for us and our team of servants for Christ.

TO THE TUNE OF TEA TUESDAYS #23

2008-08-05T12:59:00.005-04:00

WHAT WEIRD WAYS DO YOU DRINK YOUR TEA?

Let's talk about your tea habits. I was reading a blog post one day from another tea lover and they interviewed people about "strange things people do to their tea" or what they do while drinking it. I thought that that would make an interesting post for today. So, what strange, different, or weird ways do you have tea? For example, here are some responses from the person's blog I visited:

"I leave my spoon in my tea while drinking it."

"I drink my tea with a spoon, dipping it out of the cup (one spoonful at a time)."

"I put my milk in first."

"I pour water in my tea after it's in the cup (diluting the finished cup more)."

"I dump a lot of sugar in my tea."

Hmm, let me think of what strange way I may do mine.

Well, this isn't strange, but I use raw sugar as much as possible, in place of white, because I prefer the molasses flavor. It really enhances a cup of tea or coffee.
I drink mine as hot as I can tolerate it without singeing my taste buds.
I prefer half-n-half with my chai instead of milk.
I like really, really earthy, grassy green tea better than any other kind.
Sometimes I take first sips with my spoon and then discard it and drink from the cup.
Sometimes I drink my green tea with no sugar at all. My sister says it looks and tastes like liquid spinach. It's actually very good! Don't believe her!
The only black teas I like are premium Darjeelings and PG Tips, and even then, I prefer it flavored (blended with something herbal, floral, or fruity) and/or doctored up with good doses of sugar. Not a black tea fan at all.

Okay, tea fans, how about you? Leave me a something in comments. I can't wait to see how we do tea!

6 QUIRKY THINGS ABOUT ME

2008-08-04T23:59:00.004-04:00

I'm playing along with Kristen at Taste Buds (http://www.kschiffman.blogspot.com/) and a couple of her friends as they each post 6 quirky things about themselves. It's fun and neat to see what's really, shall we say, "peculiar" about our personalities. Maybe some of our friends and family know some of these things about us, but then again...maybe they don't:) So what's up with me? Can I be labeled quirky because:

1) I love tea, but only if it's hot and mostly if it's green. I hate iced tea and always have (and I'm from the South where this stuff runs in your veins). I'm not a real big fan of black tea, even if it's warm, but I can tolerate it. Green, white, and oolongs are my favorite.

2) I can't drink milk and couldn't, even as a baby, yet I can eat other dairy products with no problem, like sour cream, cheese, ice cream, butter, etc. They don't make my tummy hurt, but straight milk does.

3) I get cold, even in the hottest part of the summer. I only get hot (to the point it's uncomfortable) after I've stayed out in really high temps for longer than most people could tolerate. I freeze in my own house with the AC on, but so that I won't burn everyone else up, I just keep out my little throw blanket. I sleep under a sheet, a blanket, and a comforter year round.

4) I eat oatmeal or cream of wheat every single morning. Rarely do I change that habit. I like them a lot, and I need them too.

5) I can cook and bake very, very well, but don't like doing it. I'd rather do things outside, ministry work, things with the kids, do all of the laundry, or study, than cook or bake. I love my own food; I just hate to take the time it takes to prepare and cook it. I cook out of necessity, not because I want to. The kitchen is my least favorite room in the house. I'm not a bigger eater either, so I guess that doesn't help.

6) While most women love to shop, I do not, or at least not regularly. I don't have to hit the shops or the malls weekly, like some feel compelled to do. Like cooking, I shop out of necessity...usually (sometimes if I'm out and I find a smart deal I can't pass up, I get it, if it's in the budget). I do not like malls much at all. I do like to find good deals on my families clothes and shoes, but I like to find it, get in, and get out. I like quality items and mostly timeless clothing (I try not to do trendy--in today, out tomorrow), but they don't need to cost a fortune. I won't pay full price for anything we wear.

So, is that stuff quirky or what? You be the judge. I don't mind. I know I'm a little "different."

Hope you had fun. Hop on over to Kristen's and see what she and her friends had to say. Enjoy their lists.

MOMMY (or Caregiver/Mentor) MONDAY #21

2008-08-04T08:29:00.006-04:00

We've been instructed to raise our children in the instruction of the Lord. For those of us who have accepted Christ as Savior, we know that, or, we've at least heard it and know that it's a good thing. But why? How often? When? What if you don't have children now? What if you never have children? Let's see if we can answer these most important question with God's Word. I think He'll make it clear why we should, how often, how we should, and the benefit of doing so.

In Exodus 13, Moses explained to the sons of Israel the consecration of their and their animals' firstborn. This was in accordance with the instruction the Lord had given him, because God had adopted Israel as His firstborn. The sons of Israel were to do certain things for this consecration, but the point was to let the people know that everything that they were to do was to be a reminder to them and their children of what the Lord had done for them when they came out of Egypt. In other words, they were to do things that would be a constant reminder of the goodness of the Lord. They were to be reminded that God had a powerful hand. They were to keep this information ever before them and in their hearts and minds. When sons asked fathers why they were doing what they were doing, the father was to answer, "It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt." (NASB v. 8) Do your children know why you do what you do? Do your children know why you praise the Lord every chance you get, if you do? Can your children see you express some kind of way, the goodness of the Lord? Do you recognize how good the Lord has been to you?

In addition to doing the things that Moses instructed the people to do, v. 9 explains to them what following the ordinances and being reminded of the goodness of the Lord would do. Following his instructions was to serve as a sign on their hand, as a reminder on their forehead, and that the law of the Lord should be in their mouth. This was figurative language to say, "Your heart should be toward the Lord in all you do, in all you think, and in all you say." (the hand, the forehead, the mouth) The Israelites were to do these things at the appointed time, from year to year. This was under the Old covenant. We are under the New Covenant my friends. We are to do these things every day, every month, every year--all of the time.

Moses gave these instructions to the adults. But the adults were to not just carry these things out in obedience, but to instruct their children to do the exact same; and, not only to do the exact same thing, but to give them a reason for doing what they were to do. Shouldn't we have this same model? "Kids, don't just follow my instruction and follow my lead, but here's why we're doing this. How can we be reminded of the Lord in all things, good and bad, and keep our eyes on Him?"

This theme of giving kids instruction in the Lord and admonishing them to keep their thoughts toward God, His goodness, and His will, runs throughout the Bible. The Old Testament is rich with instructions in teaching parents how to impart to sons how they should obey laws, commandments, ordinances, instructions, wisdom, etc. of the Lord and the benefit of doing so. The New Testament even tells the children (indirectly to the parent who should be instructing the children in the Way) to obey their parents in the Lord (Ephesians 3:20-21).

Why would we want to do all of these things ourselves and teach them (or mentor others' children if you don't have one--these instructions definitely do pertain to you too) to our children? What is the benefit? First of all, we are commanded to do these things. That's pretty simple and straight forward. If you love the Lord, you keep His commandments. But the benefits to us, well, there are many and they are all good--1) so that you and your generations will respect the Lord, 2) that your days may be prolonged, 3) that things may be well with you and you may multiply (in many ways) greatly, 4) that you might see the promises of God, 5) that God may impart to you things that you could never attain on your own, 6) that you may grow in wisdom and grace, and 7) that you may experience a relationship with and the goodness of the Lord.

What can we say then? Is it not time that we open God's Word and allow Him to speak to our hearts about the things He has called us to do? Is it not time for those of us who have not always gotten it right with our children to ask for forgiveness of Him and them and open ourselves to be called to righteousness according to His Word, concerning His children? Is it not time that we start where we are now rather than worrying about how we've failed or how we've been lax in the past? For those out there who have gotten it right thus far, is it not time that we praise God for the lessons we learned early and commit to teaching what we've learned and imparted to our children to someone else and their children? Is it not time for those who have no children to commit to mentoring and discipling another's child?

We have God's instructions and we see the benefits. Let us pray, go forward, and move another generation toward Christ. Teach the children to love God, think on Him in all things, everyday, and live with eternity in view.

Repeatedly (Ex. 13:9, 16, Deut. 6:4-9, 20-25, 11:18-21, Prov. 3:3, 6:21) the Bible instructs us and then instructs us to teach our children to set our focus and eyes on things above, to be reminded of the work of the Lord, to love Him with all our heart, mind, and soul, to do these things regularly. I love Deut. 6:5-7--"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart (the word "heart" is an indication that while this talk was under the old law, the new law will command us to keep Jesus in our hearts, to believe Him in our hearts, and still think on Him daily, etc.). You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." What does that leave to question about how, when, where, how much?

Now the Jews took the figurative instructions literally and they would tie phylacteries on their forehead and left arms. They would also nail Scripture to the doorposts and place it in boxes. A figurative interpretation is supported by Deut. 11:18-20 and Ex. 13:9, 16. We may see the Jewish symbolism and custom of doing this as strange or even unnecessary, but what can be said about them is that they take the ordinance seriously. So many of us Christians can find fault or even error in the customs, traditions, etc. of the world's religions, but, we can find with Jews, Muslims, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and others that there is a common thread, that something good can be said about, that runs throughout each, and that is, that they are serious about what they feel and/or believe about their faith and the instructions of that faith. They diligently teach their churches and their children about their faith, and they are not afraid or hindered of trying to teach what they believe to others. If we were to surrender to God's will and adopt this same attitude for the cause of Christ, imagine how many people God would call to Himself, using us! Imagine how we would raise up a generation of children who would teach this to the next generation, then the next, and so on. Imagine what the world would be like.

BE STILL SUNDAYS

2008-08-03T08:11:00.003-04:00

FRIDAY FUN DAY

2008-08-01T10:32:00.004-04:00

FUN DAY WITH A TWIST

For Friday Fun days, I usually do Pensieve's Poetic License or Pensieve's 40 Words or Less Photo Challenge, or I post about something fun, usually with the family. I try to come up with fun things either I've done that you might like to try or things I'd like for us all to try, that will encourage "together" time with the family, while having loads of fun.

Not today. Now don't get me wrong, I want to have fun, but not in the usual ways I mentioned. Today, I just want to read The Power of The Blood of Jesus by Andrew Murray and The Believer's Armor by John MacArthur (can you tell I'm gearing up for a missions trip?). I just want my books and my green tea and the sounds of my babies around me, doing their thing until I join them for some FUN! I have no idea what fun thing I will do with them today, but it will be good.

Today, fun for me is NOT being at my computer (after posting this, that is). It is knowing in my mind that I have no appointments today, I'm not playing taxi driver for the kids (in fact, I didn't keep the van today, so I CAN'T go anywhere...AND I'M SO HAPPY ABOUT THAT!!), knowing that the weekend is coming (and I blog less toward the weekend) and it's just me and Daddy and the kids and whatever strikes our fancy. We have no obligations this weekend. This is huge! We're staying home...or going somewhere, but WE DON'T HAVE TO BE THERE!! This is going to be so much fun!! I'm getting more excited by the minute. I can feel the pages of my books turning in my hand already. I can see myself engrossed and hearing the voice of God through what He has allowed these men to write. I'm going to chew on the meat and spit out the bones, as they say.

Well folks, I'm off, off my computer for the day, off this chair in front of it, off to my couch, off in the pages of my books. Oh yeah, before that, I need to be off to the kitchen to boil water for my tea. Can't leave that out. Pray that I have a very fruitful day and that God is glorified! You have a fun Friday too. I MAY post something tomorrow. Otherwise, I'll be back Monday.

BTW, unless I can get hold of a laptop computer while I'm gone (Missions trip is Aug. 7-10) to post you missions updates, happenings, and prayer requests, I'll be out of commission for those 4 days. Pray that we're right in the middle of God's will for the days we'll be in New Orleans (some really "dark" areas there, that need the light of Jesus so badly).

Be back soon.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

2008-07-31T08:54:00.003-04:00

THANKFUL FOR RELATIONSHIPS

Iris at Sting My Heart is using one of my favorite verses, in fact, the one that I use as my theme verse (in my left sidebar under profile). 1 Peter 2:9-10. This is her theme verse for today's Thankful Thursday. She is thankful for the relationship we have been called to with Christ and relationships with other people. This is a wonderful verse, reminding us of who we are in Him --what we've been called out of and in to. What a friend we have in Jesus! It's the best relationship we can have!

With that verse in mind, I so thankful for:

Being a friend of Jesus. I've posted this fact before, but it still blows my mind! Thank you Jesus, for calling me friend.
The new relationship my oldest sister now has in Christ. She got saved this year! The heavens rejoiced. Oh, thank you Jesus! Another one in Your Kingdom!
The relationship I have with my parents. I talk to my mother daily, see her as often as possible, talk to Daddy as often as possible, but don't see him nearly as much as I'd like. Thank you Jesus for my parents.
The relationship I'm developing with my girls as they grow older. It's important to me that God lives through me, that they might see what God is pleased with as a young lady.
The virtual relationship (over the internet) I've recently formed with women that just strike me as women after God's own heart. This is daily encouragement from the blogsphere.
The relationship I've been blessed to have with my accountability sisters in Christ. We meet every Wednesday morning to do studies together, talk, pray for one another, admonish one another, boost each other up, and support each other in many ways. Thank you Jesus for hand-picking us and placing us together. We need it and you knew it.

You've got to have something you're thankful for today, I know. Go to www.eph2810.com and read some others and/or leave your link there so that others might come by your place to see what you're thankful for.

Thank you Iris, for doing this. It keeps our hearts toward Christ, with a humble and grateful spirit.

WEDNESDAY WISDOM #15

2008-07-30T08:49:00.006-04:00

WISE ENOUGH TO REFER YOU TO A WISE WOMAN FOR WEDNESDAY WISDOM

Did you get that?

Today, I'm not running out on ya or being lazy. I discovered a blog, LauraLee's Lifesong, that is just so packed full of wisdom. As I was sitting here trying to figure out what God might want me to share today, the idea of featuring LauraLee came to my mind and wouldn't leave.

I stopped by her place this morning to just take a peek. You see, she received the same award I did (The Art Y Pico Award), and I wanted to see how God was using her in Blogland. I'm glad I did. She is packed full of wisdom from our Lord, and she shares it well.

I'd like for you to get to know her too. It is worth the click of the mouse, trust me. Just her first blog page has many posts you will take heart in. In my mind, sharing wisdom with you today meant being wise enough to send you to a wise woman that you will learn something from and grow in Christ because of.

So without anything further from me, I happily present to you http://lovinthearts.blogspot.com/. Go there and meet LauraLee Shaw. You'll be glad you did.

Hope you have a great rest of the Lord's day.

MY FIRST BLOG AWARD!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!

2008-07-28T11:48:00.005-04:00

Is this award not beautiful!! Talk about humbling!! Tracy, a precious blogger at Seed Thoughts (http://http://www.takeck.blogspot.com/) thought enough of this new, amateur blogger and her posts to award me the Art Y Pico Award. What is this award and what does it mean? I'll let Tracy's words explain it to you. They'll do a better job than I would. Here's Tracy:

"It is the Art Y Pico award and it is given to those who inspire others with their creative energy and talents in writing, artwork, design or contributions to the blogging community. It originated here. What does the expression mean? Well, apparently it doesn’t exactly translate to English, but it loosely translates to, “Wow. The Best Art. Over the top.” (This was taken from the Art Y Pico blog.)"

WOW!!

I tell you, I'm just blogging at the encouragement of a friend I met at church, who is getting to be well-known in the blogging community I might add. She knew I loved poetry, and she shared the same love, and she thought I might have, well...something to say. I like writing and always have so I thought I'd look into it (which I did for a long time before deciding to jump in) and give it a shot. I really prayed about doing it though, because I didn't want blogging to take over my life like I knew it could, I didn't want to become addicted and neglect family or other priorities because of it, and I wanted God to be pleased with me doing it. Once I got all this down, things started to flow. God has given me a good handle on it (most of the time, and when I surrender my time and schedule to Him), and I think God is pleased with the content. I never even thought about real and regular readers! In my mind, this would just be a writing outlet and a hobby.

People really do read my posts, I soon found out. I'm still shocked by this! Then, I became a little more conscious of what I wrote, and thought well, if people are reading it, even if it's not that often, I'd better say something that they can use or be edified by, be pleased with, or at least get them thinking and/or praying about. I hope and pray that I'm doing that.

Tracy must think so, and folks, I am so honored and blessed by her heart and decision to name me one of the recipients of this award.

If you would like to investigate the origin of this award, go to http://arteypico.blogspot.com/.

I will be looking at some of my favorite blogs and praying about whom I can share this same award with. It will be so hard, because there are so many great blogs I've come across.

Well, thanks again Tracy. You've made my day and my week. May God get all the credit for our gifts and talents. Without Him, we wouldn't be able to receive an award nor bless someone else with one.

Blessings to you all.

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN!! BLOGGY GIVEAWAYS!

2008-07-28T10:29:00.006-04:00

YOU COULD REALLY WIN SOME NEAT STUFF!!

(AND GET TO KNOW SOME NEAT PEOPLE TO BOOT!)

Quarterly, http://www.bloggygiveaways.com/ will host Bloggy Giveaways so that we can get to know each other better and have a chance to win some of the neatest stuff. I've only won some things once out of the two times I've participated, but it was such a neat experience. I read the blogs of some really nice and talented people out there, and I won a subscription to a magazine (never got it although I communicated properly with the person giving it), Luna Pads hankies (got that and love them! They came as a result of entering a contest that had giving to the needy as its goal.), and a patchwork pillow (never got this either, but we communicated back and forth a couple of times to ensure we had the right info., etc.).

Although I didn't receive all of my prizes, don't let my experience give this exciting event a bad rap. Most participants make good on their promises. And realistically, in defense of the people who didn't send out my prizes, people just simply forget or life just kind of takes over and...well, you understand, so I'm not bothered. It was so much fun regardless. With that, I encourage you to PLAY!!

First off, Robin, over at http://www.pensieve.typepad.com/ is hosting her own bloggy giveaway week with lots of prizes. Go there now to check her out. Look for the pink, white, and yellow BG icon, like the one above, and read on. She is giving away one prize a day, so you'll want to check back with her daily. Put her in your favorites or a reader so that you won't forget. She's looking for new readers and a reason to give something away! She likes doing that! There is always something interesting to read at Robin's place, and something to look at too, as she is a blooming or budding photographer.

After this, go to http://www.bloggygiveaways.com/ and see who else is there and what they're giving away. You're sure to find some interesting reads and some fun prizes. I wouldn't miss Bloggy Giveaways for anything now that I've gotten in on it a couple of times. I've happened upon some interesting reads that are now in my favorites, and this is really the neatest part of it for me.

So, what are you waiting for. It's a blog party, AND YOU'RE INVITED!!

MOMMY (or Mentor/Caregiver) MONDAYS #20

2008-07-28T09:14:00.005-04:00

MISSIONS MINDED FAMILIES

Do you believe that every believer (people who have accepted Jesus as Savior and believes every word in His Word) is commanded to "go?" In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus commanded His disciples to "go" and make disciples of all nations. He even left them with the promise that He would be with them always. Who do you suppose (I know some of you already know the answers to this; just hang in here:)) Jesus was talking to? Was this a request of Jesus'?

Well, it was not a request, it was an emphatic command. You know, Jesus can do any job we have been privileged to do all by Himself. But He has chosen the fearfully and wonderfully made creation of His, us humans, to do what He wants and will get done. What a privilege!! We're getting to join Him in His work. Besides, if we love Him, we'll keep His commands. And remember, I just said that to take the Gospel to the nations was a command. God is so good, faithful, and just though, isn't He? He commands us to do something, but, He promises to be with us, to guide us, comfort us, speak through us, and anything else we need to get the task done. He would have it that no man would perish. He won't allow us to fail (even if we don't know the results or see the fruit of our labor) getting anything on His agenda done, if we just commit (and submit) to obey Him. This gives us confidence in the task. God is incredible!

Well, what does all of this have to do with the title? If God commanded us to go, did He mean our children too? Well sure! If you and I have children who have already commited their lives to Christ, even though they're not as spiritually mature as someone who has been walking with and obeying Christ for a long time, they still know more than someone who doesn't know Christ at all, so...God can use them, and..HE WILL. Wouldn't God be pleased, and wouldn't you love to see your children grow a heart to boldly tell others about Christ? Our first step is to teach them to love the very souls of others. Teach them to care about the eternal future of those around them. Pray to God that they grow a heart for sharing the Gospel and missions in some form or another. Then, teach them about this command in Matthew 28.

Missions, as you may already know, doesn't have to be trips to the remotest jungles of Africa or even to another city in the U.S. Missions can be in your neighborhood, and really, it should be. We don't want to miss the opportunity to minister to those around us and pursue just those far away. Everyone is not called to foreign missions, but EVERYONE is called to be a missionary, a carrier of the Good News, a lover of others' souls. You can do that at work, at school, on vacation, at church, etc. Do we convey this message to our children? Do we think, even without consciously thinking it sometimes, that missions is just for grown-ups? When we don't teach our children about missions, far and near, we cause them to miss great opportunities, we neglect to obey God as parents and Christian stewards of the Gospel, and our children miss out on sharing in God's work and the blessings that come with that. Missions work can be so easy, although it isn't always. Our children can do so much, and they can grow a heart to love it.

We feel that God has called us to go, as a family, on a missions trip in August. We are going to the state of Louisiana and partnering with another church there to go out and meet the needs, spiritual and physical, of a specific community there. We have commited to praying, as a family, about this trip and God's agenda and will concerning the trip and it's outcome. We have even decided to fast today, with the entire group of believers that are going. Usually I don't publicly admit that, but please use this information to pray with us. We are committed to HIM. I have young girls (one pre-teen, one new teen), although my boys are older teens and can understand better, and even they (the girls) understand so early the benefit of preparation to take the Gospel to unknown and/or unfamiliar territory. We have talked to them about missions and just recently, we talked about fasting-- doing it properly, how God strengthens you for it and the task ahead, when and how we were going to do it, and anything else about fasting I thought would be helpful. There attitude, because of Christ, was one of understanding and readiness to do it. All praises and honor to God.

I feel so spiritually happy that we are doing this as a family, the fasting just until 2:00pm today, and going on this trip. They are even growing in faith, faith that God will provide the provisions for us to take the trip and all that we need while we're there. They realize that we are in no financial shape to just go to the bank, withdraw all of the funds we'll need for the trip, and then go. But they do know that if God wants us to go, He will provide. In this truth, we are all confident. So, rather than focus our minds on what we don't have, we're focusing our minds on Jesus and the road ahead. It has been a sweet time in the Lord. We've even decided that if God closes the door for us to go, He has grown us so much through this process, and groomed us for something else. We've done a lot of individualized missions work or partnered up 2 or 3 of us, mostly locally in our city, but this will be the first time we will go out of town as a family for missions work. We're all excited!

My husband and I are praying that this will grow a tender heart toward God and things concerning Him, that our children will grow a heart towards missions, that they will see people through the eyes of Jesus (won't that change your perspective?!), that they will grow in grace and obedience. Will you pray with us as we pray these things as a family? Will you consider, if you haven't already, intentionally teaching your children about Christ's commands on their lives and ours, show them where and how they can fit in the missions , and praying that they have a heart for God and others? Will you pray that that heart for God and others will take them places outside of the "norm" or their comfort zones, but that God promises to be with them always? Will you teach them that God ALWAYS makes good on His promises, that it's all up to Him, not them, that they're to just trust Him and "go?" Will you pray these things today? It's always "the time" to spread the Good News. Teach them that this can be done literally anywhere.

I pray that you have fruitful family discussion time concerning this and other things today. May you be strengthened, convicted, and emboldened by the Holy Spirit to share the Good News of Jesus every opportunity you get.

Be Still and KNOW That HE IS GOD!!

2008-07-27T07:15:00.001-04:00

SATURDAY SHOPPING, SAVING, AND STUFF #13

2008-07-26T12:54:00.003-04:00

GOT COLLEGE-BOUND BABIES?

I found a really neat post at Ellie Kay's blog site that I thought you'd be interested in. Most of you know who Ellie Kay is, but for the ones who may not, she is a savings and financial stewardship expert that I have come to really respect. She is a wife, mom, and speaker. She and her husband have 5 children and she has learned to live on just her husband's income so that she could come back to the home. While this may not be for everyone, or may not be your season to do the same, Ellie will show you how to do it, if it ever comes up in your life, and she does it successfully.

I shouldn't leave out the fact that this (the above) is not all she speaks about. She talks to the average person about shopping wisely, saving, tithing, coupon-clipping, spending, etc. If you want to be a wise or wiser steward, check her out.

Anyway, I'd like to leave this link so that you can check out a post about how to be able to financially and successfully send your children to college. Hers is a personal account about how they're doing it with their children. It's worth reading and investigating (and discussing with your children) some of the helpful information she has there.

Click here.http://halfpriceliving.blogspot.com/http://

It's the first post you'll get to, but there are some many more awesome things on her blog and website.

DEBUT OF THE PENSIEVE--A POETIC LICENSE TO MAKE HISTORY!

2008-07-25T07:40:00.013-04:00

Am I excited or what?!!! Okay Robin at http://www.pensieve.typepad.com/ is just plain old getting pretty famous!! She is the creator of the 40 Words or Less Photo Challenge I like to play on Fridays, and she is the creator of Pensieve's Poetic License, giving any and every one a chance to learn about, read about, and try their hand at poetry, all in a comfortable, non-intimidating, non-professional atmosphere. She simply wants everyone to learn to love and/or appreciate poetry.

Well, she has "one-upped" herself this time. This girl has created a new poetry form. That's right. You heard me. She has joined the league of those who created forms like the clerihew, the haiku, the senryu, the limerick, the sonnet, etc. The list can go on and on. Hers is titled after her blog title--it is called the Pensieve. Here's the really neat instructions on how to write one: Robin says...

"What is a Pensieve? A titled, five-line poem; each line correlates to one of the five senses--sight, sound, scent, taste, touch--and describes the subject (title). The goal is for the reader to take on the poem as his own, being able to "experience" your subject through your words, by seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling what you described. (If you're looking for an alternate definition of "pensieve" and found this post via a search engine, please click here.)
The style is reflective and should leave the reader with lingering thoughts. The name for this poetic form is somewhat of a play on words: the subject is word-drawn from a memory (from the writer's "pensieve" :) ) and reflected upon by both writer and reader, pensively."

Now that Robin has spoken, let's join her for the Pensieve debut. Let's try our hand at this new poetic form. Let's help our blogging buddy go down in H*I*S*T*O*R*Y!!!

Can you tell that this poetry lover and lover of the "take a chance" or "live your dreams" spirit is excited?!!! YOU GO ROBIN!!

Anyhooty, my 3, yes, I said 3 (because I spent an hour yesterday at the park focusing on this before I had to pick my husband up from work--I hope my little "stinkin" work reflects that I put some time on it anyway) pensieves are below. No, they probably won't go down in history like the artform might itself, but I sure had fun at the park!! Without anything further:

THE CENTERPIECE OF THE COVENANT BANQUET

Nothing eyes had ever beheld would be as beautiful and magnificent!

She was to be a show-stopper, worthy of loud, vigorous claps.

Florally fresh roses and earthy hydrangeas would rain down her sides and overtake you.

Like Her Majesty, she was to be suave, smooth, regal, embellished, velvety.

While she never made the described debut, she won us over with her southern sweetness.

CHANCES WORTH TAKING

With big, silver flashlight in hand, I can now "escape" clearly in the dark

closet that pleasantly wreaks with cedar.

Quick! Close the book! Here comes the giant, thundering!

Punishment so near, I can taste it!

I cover the warm, bulb shield with my hand and crouch back. I think I'll go undetected.

THE CELESTIAL ORCHESTRA PLAYED DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE

He lifted his long arms with wand in hand, to command the players to play.

Wafts of dizzying freshness accosted the onlooker as the players rolled in.

The closer they got, the sound intensified, and it was pleasantly deafening!

They played so fiercely that the notes spewed forth what felt like...rain.

Oh taste and see that the Lord and His creation is good!

Guys, this was so fun for me! Robin, thank you, thank you, thank you! I never get away alone, and yesterday, thinking of what to do for this post, forced me to find just a window of opportunity to do just that, and it was so good. So, even if my pensieves are no good, my escape was well worth it!! Have fun as you go and appreciate others'.

FRIDAY FUN DAY WITH 40 WORDS OR LESS...AND A PHOTO!

2008-07-25T07:35:00.002-04:00

Join us in a round of Friday's 40? Click here for complete details, but basically you have 40 words (or less) to respond to the weekly image--a caption or title, poem, word association, abstract, concrete--however it hits you. Write a post, then be sure to come back here on Friday morning to link your permalink, and after, visit the other participants to see their varied perspectives on the same image.

I'm always up for the challenge. Well, this one was a challenge for me. What can you say about it besides the fact that it looks absolutely refreshing!! It made me go pull out my pink water bottle (just a different shape than this one), and take a long, cool, sip. I needed that!!

So many cc's of summer chill

Bottled up inside me!

I'm skating on thin ice.

I'm walking the chalk line.

Be cool! Be cool!

It's all good.

I'm just waiting on someone who is deep enough to move me.

Okay, whew!! DONE!! Have fun! I sure did! Go to http://www.pensieve.typepad.com/ for more.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

2008-07-24T16:56:00.003-04:00

What are you thankful for this Thursday? Iris at Sting My Heart reminds us that no matter how much the water rises, God always throws us a lifeline. Isn't that so true? There is ALWAYS, no matter what situation you find yourself in, and no matter how much trouble seems to last, something to be thankful for. Here's what I'm thankful for:

I'm thankful for the women's group we had last night. Two new women attended, and one said that she felt like there was HOPE for her before she left.
I'm thankful for the benefit of prayer. It makes a difference.
I'm thankful for the people at my church that don't just want to learn the Word, but apply the Word to their lives. We don't always do this do we?
I'm so very thankful for being cancer-free now for 9 years.
I'm thankful for our little, tiny humble abode.
I'm thankful for the promises God made in His Word, like providing us food and shelter. I'm glad that He makes good on anything He promises.
I'm thankful for simple things like toiletries and other things that keep us clean, fresh, and presentable. We take these things for granted, but these are really very important, and I'm thankful we can afford these things.
I'm thankful that God allowed me to be born and live in the USA.

Go to www.eph2810.com and look at what Iris and others are thankful for. You can even add your thankful post there. We'll be glad to share in your thankfulness. Bless you today.

TO THE TUNE OF TEA TUESDAYS #22

2008-07-22T09:57:00.004-04:00

HOW DID THE RUSSIANS COME TO ENJOY TEA?

(Oh--you didn't even know that they enjoyed tea?)

If you enjoy a little tea trivia, read on and I'll tell you about the Russians taking tea and how it got to their country.

Linda Osborne, in her All About Tea Knowledge Cards, tells us that tea was an exclusive privilege of royalty in seventeenth-century Russia: the grueling journey from China by camel caravan raised the cost beyond the commoner's reach. This tea was carried in cloth bags; in the course of a year's worth of nights near campfires, it acquired a smoky scent and taste.

Smoked Russian Caravan tea is still popular, and Russians also drink Imperial Russian tea, flavored with bergamot. Available to all Russians after the Trans-Siberian Railroad opened in 1880, tea quickly became a mainstay of daily life, as exemplified by the samovar, the centerpiece of a Russian home.

The samovar is a metal urn with a heating ring beneath it. A teapot rests on top, and the tea brewed within it is very strong. Hot water from the urn dilutes the tea to drinking strength.

Traditionally, tea is served with lemon in Russia, and Russians often drink it with a sugar cube in their mouths, or after adding jam.

The Republic of Georgia began growing tea in the mid-nineteenth century, and tea production later spread to other areas on the Black Sea.

Hope you enjoyed that bit of history and trivia. It tells you who else is drinking tea and how, besides us Americans and the English in Europe.

Have a good week.

Cafe Chat- What are your priorities?

2008-07-21T15:51:00.003-04:00

The question for this Saturday is a real thought-provoking one. I needed to think on these and pray to God, like I tend to do, about my priorities. I always want to have them in order, but the truth is, I don't always. It takes making God a priority for Him to set straight the rest of my life's priorities. Funny how every time I ask Him about my life and the way it should go and ask Him to order my steps, it works out. How about you?

I'm late this week on submitting my post for this, but when I found out what the subject matter was, I felt I had to post. I apologize for posting so late. Hope you get a chance to read it anyway. I can't wait to see everyone else's thoughts. So what is the question for this week?
What are your priorities?

Name what you think should be your first 5 priorities in life? Then order those priorities the way they actually are at present in your own life. Do they match up? Why or why not? If needed, what is one thing that you can do today that will help your two lists match up?

Don't we all like to think that we have our priorities straight? I mean who wants to admit that their priorities are really out of order? Some of us might admit to one or two things, but what if all of our priorities are out of order? Who determines that order in your life? I'm afraid that most of the time, before we realize it, we are the ones that determine the order. I know that's been the case in my life. I have to be transparent about that. Well, I'll list what comes to mind now, but I pray the Holy Spirit shows me what they REALLY ARE and what they REALLY SHOULD BE if currently, they don't match up. Here's where I think I am now:

My number one, daily goal right now, is to just know and/or realize who God is to me and who I am in Him. That's big! Just knowing I'm not worthy of the free gift of salvation but God, in His goodness and mercy, extending that to me anyway, and not holding my past, present, or future sins against me (once I accepted Him)...now that just blows my mind! The enemy wants us to feel guilty about so much we've done, and he doesn't want us to live in that salvation. We're sometimes robbed of the freedom we have in Jesus; not free to continue to sin, but free to have our sins washed away, live to glorify Him, and start all over again.
My next goal is to somehow in some way, daily pursue Him with all diligence. I try and take every thought captive. I try to do everything as unto the Lord. Sometimes I'm successful (because of Him and my submission), and sometimes I'm not. I also would say this is where I'm cognizant of having a regular prayer life or continual conversations with God throughout the day, as I think of things and/or as He puts things or people on my mind.
Train my children in the way that they should go. Teach them when they wake up, as they go along the way, and when they lie down. Pray for them, bathing and covering them in prayer, letting them see me do things that God causes and/or calls me to do. I sometimes mess this up too. I sin and I have to ask for forgiveness. I've struggled with wanting to be perfect in front of them, not wanting to say or do anything wrong so that they can model that. They also needed to see that I wasn't perfect and that when I made mistakes, like I ultimately would, I needed the same Jesus they did to renew me, forgive me, and propel me forward.
My husband. Precious thing. I should have him as #3, so this is where I think my priorities get out of order and I need the most help. God help me...really. He is God's chosen one for me and he is a gift. I love him and I study regularly who God would have me be as a wife (studying the Word, taking classes, giving classes, practicing it, etc.) to him, but I lose perspective and sometimes the desire to train up the kids will take precedence. I don't mean for this to happen, and sometimes, I catch myself and re-prioritize and re-schedule, but it does happen. He works and I don't, so I get to spend a lot of time on them. He has to rest and nap when he comes home, eat dinner, etc., so since he needs that time, I just do household things or...focus on whatever needs the children have right then. So, I have them all day, and then, if he has "checked out" on me, I deal with them again later. I do make myself available to him and try to minister to his needs, but I think this priority got out of order when he couldn't seem to prioritize his time with family. I sort of had to find something else to do since he was "checked out." He didn't want to be, and really wanted to find ways to pay attention to the family, but we haven't found one way or one schedule for him that's been totally successful yet...but, he's trying and he cares. God will show us, we believe.
I try and listen to God's heart on where I should give, volunteer, participate, and things I should otherwise be a part of. I don't try and do everything, realizing that I can't and that there is not enough time. I believe God wouldn't have me half do a lot of things instead of doing one or just a couple of things well and right. I feel it's my duty and privilege to seek to do community and "life" with friends, church members, and neighbors if I can. I love taking the Word of God where he would have my feet or voice to carry it. I pray for opportunities-that I don't miss one, knowing that I could always give the excuse that I don't have time or no one came across my path. That will never be the case realistically. I sincerely want people to know Jesus. I love Him and I want others to also. This is where I focus on others outside of my family.

If there is anything I'm doing right or in an order He wants me to do it, it has been by His Spirit in me, my surrender, His convictions, my asking for them, and me asking Him to do what only He can do in me. I need His perfecting and transforming grace daily, but as I practice and think on the right things, as I surrender to Him, He gets to use me however and whenever He sees fit. I'm afraid that I disappoint Him more often than not, but I want to be in the practice and habit (more as I grow older) of obeying Him and looking more like Him everyday. I need to end by quoting the words of a hymn: "I need Thee, O I need Thee. Every hour I need Thee. O bless me now my Savior. I come to Thee."

Blessings to you all as we strive to prioritize.

MOMMY (Mentor/Caregiver) MONDAYS #19

2008-07-21T09:04:00.005-04:00

MAKING MEMORIES AND TEACHING LESSONS

WITH, FOR, AND BY THE KIDS

I'm often thinking of things I can do to make lasting memories for myself and the kids that are done by the kids. After all, they will probably outlast me on this earth, and hopefully, they'll have children of their own. Those memories we make now, whether they're tangible or intangible, will last a long time. We want to be intentional about that. We want to leave good legacies that they can pass to their children. We even try to think of new things, that we've never done or maybe lots of people don't do yet, that they can teach their children.

I just have a few suggestions. Some of you may already be doing some or all of these things, but I thought I'd give you my little list. Please, if you have any suggestions, leave it in comments so that we all can share. I'd love more ideas. I love spending time doing things with and talking to my children.

This is very popular, but buy your kids their own journal or diary. I think the boys would feel better if you called their's a "journal." Get them in the habit of writing in it as often as possible. Maybe buy two-one they can have for their own private thoughts and one they can have that they want the family to be exposed to.
Interview your kids. Get inside their heads. Keep your own journal or notes on the answers to the interview. Do this at each stage or year of their life, after a certain age. You both can watch their growth physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It matters what they're thinking.
Do a family quilt (this is a great project for any family, but as a homeschool home ec. and memory project, this would be a plus.). Cut out squares and let everyone sew on, decorate, or write on them and then, put the quilt together. The problem with this one is, if you've got more than one child, who do you leave the quilt to? Well, I guess you'll have to do more than one:)
Let the kids go into the kitchen and create their own recipe, whether it's something for dinner, a dessert, or an easy kid's lunch. Tell them to write the recipe in pencil on notecards, and as you watch and coach and as they tweak the recipe, they can erase what didn't work and write in what they discover does, until they've come up with something really good. File the recipes in a box they've decorated and use them often to show your appreciation.
Plant a simple garden together and take pictures as everything grows. Herb gardens are very simple and herbs can be dried very easily. They can be used for decoration and in the kitchen in some of those recipes they've created. This is the project that keeps on giving. This can be done annually and you can always take advantage of the fruit of your labor. Taking pictures of the kids taking care of the garden would be great for a scrapbook too.
Encourage them to write a children's story or book. They can use themselves as the main character or they can make it completely up. Tell them to envision an audience of really curious and anxious kids ready to hear a good story. Remind them that they never write for themselves (unless it's a diary entry) but for someone else's benefit. Let them color pictures for it.
Use the above books when you take them to read at a local shelter, library, orphanage, or the like. Let your kids read their homemade books to the other children. This helps them give and share experiences with others. With this, craft things at home that you can take with you to give out to children. This is a project for the whole family.
Have story night where the kids sit around and tell timed stories (use a timer) and everyone has their turn. The story can be serious, funny, or whatever. Call it a story marathon and see how many stories you can tell and how well everyone enjoys this. Kids will not forget this and will probably enjoy doing this with their own kids.

There are just so many more things I could come up with. These are some of my suggestions, but obviously, the internet, your moms group, your family members, your homeschool group, etc. has so much more. The goal is to make memories for yourself with your kids, make memories for them, and give them something to pass to the next generation. Oh yeah, and be intentional about it. Don't leave the ideas in your head. DO IT!! Have fun!

Have a good rest of the week.

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD SUNDAYS

2008-07-20T07:30:00.003-04:00

PARTY! PARTY! PARTY! PARTY!

2008-07-19T18:31:00.008-04:00

That cute little busy Robin over at http://www.pensieve.typepad.com/ has been bitten by the creativity bug again and she has created something cool and special--A Blog Hop! Because some could not attend the BlogHer Convention (?) in San Francisco (I haven't been blogging long enough to know how exciting the convention was supposed to be), she decided to party back home, so let's get together, why don't we, and party with recipes, meet-n-greets, and the like. Wanna know more about the purpose of this blog? Click on My Blog's Welcome Letter in labels. Wanna know some things (all true, but some peculiar) about me, click on Photos in labels. There you will see me, places I've been, my boys when they were little and more, but, you'll also get to see a list at the bottom of 10 things about me. That's where you'll see a picture of me at 18 (I'm far from that now) in my "back then, I thought I was pretty in mint green prom dress" picture. Oooh my, how times have changed, THANK GOD!! If you click on the "Miscellany" label, you'll see some interesting posts (I think there's a picture of hubby and I there too), AND you'll see how really raw (or green) and new to blogging I really was then. The post layouts and errors are terrible, but the content is probably interesting.

Anyhooty, I wanna leave you with this recipe. It's so easy to do and great for parties.

It's Neufchatel Cheese Dip

You just get 1 8oz pkg. of Neufchatel Cheese (It looks just like Philly Cream Cheese in the grey box)
Cut it in chunks into a sauce pan on med. to med. low heat (so it won't scorch)
Add one can of Ro-tel tomatoes and green chilies (you can get mild, med. or hot. I like hot.)
Melt and mix all ingredients together until cheese and Ro-tel are smooth.
Pour into a dipping bowl and use Tortilla chips

Variations on the above are to use Philly Cream cheese, of course.

You can add baby shrimp and chopped, green bell peppers to the mix

You can do half Neufchatel and half Velveeta

You can add finely chopped ground beef

I've had these and a couple of other variations to this dip and all of my family loves it! It's almost a contest on how experimental we can be to come up with a new variation when we get together back home.

Now get yourselves over to Robin's place to Blog Hop with other Hoppers and get to know some new folks!!

PARTY ON PEOPLE, PARTY ON!!!

FRIDAY FUN DAYS W/ 40 WORDS OR LESS PC

2008-07-18T07:30:00.005-04:00

I love the picture submitted by Robin at http://www.pensieve.typepad.com/ for this week's 40 or Less Photo Challenge. It's so neat and heartwarming. Click on Robin's link to get all of the details, but it's as simple as looking at the picture, saying in 40 words or less what you think of it, and then submitting your thoughts. It's fun. Join us every Friday. Click on the link above to see what others think of the photo. Look for the 40 PC icon. Meanwhile here's what I have to say about the picture below:

"The time has come," the walrus said, "to talk of many things: of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--of cabbages--and kings--and why the sea is boiling hot--and whether pigs have wings." (Lewis Carroll)

I envisioned Granpa stopping by the wayside and telling his granddaughter fanciful stories. The picture reminded me of Lewis Carroll's quote of storytelling above. I used to quote this to my daughter all of the time, before her story time.

Have a fun Friday!